A Code of Practice is a set of professional standards or written guidelines agreed on by members of a particular profession or written guidelines issued by an official body or a professional association to its members to help them comply with its ethical standards.

Need for Code of Practice

Codes of Practice are normally considered when:

• Government regulations are unlikely to occur or are inappropriate for the specific section of the market.
• Overarching legislation exists and the objective is to assist in ensuring compliance through the development of controls to improve industry standards.
• There is widespread acknowledgement that there is need for, and commitment to, the development of controls to improve industry standards.
• The objective is to provide customer focused benefits beyond the minimum standards.
Role of Codes of Practice
• Code of Practice as is a form of industry self-regulation (encourages industry self-regulation).
• Advances/improves consumers’ confidence in Industry and organizations that subscribe to the Code of Practice.
• Promote good business practices.

The role of the Authority in the development of Codes of Practice

The Authority in its mandate to encourage competition in the communications sector will endeavour to ensure that the communication service providers are operating in an ethical manner so as to provide quality and affordable communication services to Kenyans.

The Authority is committed to ensuring that the communications sector is conducive for communication service providers to grow within the sector. In so doing the Authority, in consultation with industry stakeholders, encourages the development on industry codes of practice to facilitate and enhance business relations in the marketplace with all relevant key stakeholders (both private and government entities and agencies).

The Authority in collaboration with stakeholders developed a Code of Practice for the deployment of communications infrastructure, and with associated mechanisms for enforcing it