| OVERVIEW
OF THE INTERNET IN BOTSWANA Prepared by:
Salome Bopa
Manager (Licensing)
Botswana Telecommunications Authority
sbopa@hotmail.com
1. Economy
Overview
- Population: 1.65 (est 1999)
- Population growth rate: 1.12%
(1998 est.).
- GDP growth: 6.9% in 1998
mainly from diamond mining, beef and tourism.
- GDP per Capita: US$3,300
(1998)
- Country foreign reserve: about
US$5.7 billion.
- inflation rate: 7.2 percent in
1999
- The main natural resource:
Diamonds. Botswana is the world's largest exporter of rough
diamonds in terms of quantity.
- The Corporate tax rate: 25%,
and a 15% rate for manufacturers
2. Internet and
Telecom Market Overview
2.1 Regulatory
Regime
Botswana adopted the
telecommunications policy in 1995 and subsequently, the Botswana
Telecommunications Act was enacted in 1996. This gave birth to
Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) which is an
independent regulatory body, established to 'supervise and promote
the provision of efficient telecommunication services in
Botswana'.
2.2 Fixed Network Operator
Botswana Telecommunications
Corporation (BTC) is a fully state owned corporation operating
over 120,000 lines (March 2000) with a penetration rate of 7%, one
of the highest in Africa. BTC is sole provider of fixed network
services. Its network is 100% digital with extensive microwave and
fibre optic transmission links.
Tariffs Pula Equivalent in US$
|
Tariffs
|
Pula
|
Equivalent
in US$
|
|
Connection
|
225
|
45.00
|
|
Monthly
charge
|
24.33
|
4.87
|
|
Local
call/3 minutes
|
0.23
|
0.05
|
|
Long
distance (150km)/minute
|
0.92
|
0.18
|
2.3 Mobile Operators
BTA licensed two mobile operators
in Botswana - Mascom Wireless and Vista-SimplyCell in 1998. BTC
provides infrastructural support for the mobile operators, it lost
during tender for cellular mobile licence.
Operator statistics (as of
March 2000)
|
|
Vista
Cellular
|
Mascom
Wireless
|
|
Launch
Date
|
February
1998
|
February
1998
|
|
Technology
used
|
GSM
|
GSM
|
|
No
of subscribers
|
7500
( June 1999)
35,000 ( March 2000) |
8,000(
June 1999)
85,000 (March 2000) |
2.4 Internet Usage
The provision of Internet
services in Botswana started in 1995/96. The provision of Internet
is now liberalised and ISPs are required to have a licence in
accordance with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Currently
there are six licensed Internet Services Providers. These are Mega
Internet, Intertswana, 4site, USKO, Logical Botswana and Botsnet.
A preliminary estimate indicates
that there are about 25,000 to 30,000 users, compared to 12,000 in
1999.
The international bandwidth
capacity used by the ISPs ranges between 64Kbps and 256Kbps.
Regulatory requirements
All ISPs are required to have ISP
licence to provide Internet Services. The first licence was issued
on 23rd November 1999.
Current ISP licences are valid
for 2 years.
At present the licensee pays an
initial fee of P10, 000 (US$2, 000). The licensee also pays an
annual fee of P3, 000.00 (US$600.00).
Currently to offer voice on IP
network is prohibited as stated in ISPs licences.
ISPs are allowed to use any
technology available.
There is no requirement with
respect to Universal Access/Services in the ISP licences.
TARIFFS
There is no regulatory control on
Internet tariffs and the following are current Internet Charges in
Botswana.
Installation Charges - average
P100. 00 ~ US$ 20.00
Monthly Subscription fee - average P100. 00 ~ US$ 20.00
Internet access rate - 23 cents ~ 4 cents per six minutes |
