Botswana - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband

Additional Information

Executive summary

One of the most penetrated mobile markets in Africa This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Botswana’s telecommunications market. Subjects covered include:

Key statistics;


Market and industry overviews;
The impact of the global economic crisis;
Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
Market liberalisation and regulatory issues;
Telecoms operators - privatisation, acquisitions, new licences;
Major players (fixed, mobile and broadband);
Infrastructure development;
Internet and broadband development and growth;
Mobile data services, including 3G;
Convergence (voice/data, fixed/wireless/mobile);

Average Revenue per User.Botswana is one of Africa’s wealthiest nations with a thriving economy mainly based on diamond mining and tourism which recovered quickly from a recession during the global financial crisis (GFC). Regulatory reform has turned the country into one of the most liberalised telecommunications markets in the region, including a service-neutral licensing regime which takes into account the increasing convergence of technologies and services.

Although at well over 100% Botswana has one of the highest mobile market penetration rates in Africa, the average revenue per user is also one of the highest on the continent. In a bid to generate new revenue streams and secure market share, the three mobile operators - Mascom Wireless (an affiliate of South Africa’s MTN), Orange Botswana and BeMobile (a subsidiary of fixed-line incumbent BTC) - have entered the underdeveloped broadband sector with different strategies including 3G mobile, WiMAX and bundling with fixed-line (ADSL) services. Here they are competing with a large number of ISPs, some of which are rolling out their own wireless access infrastructure.

A nationwide fibre backbone supports a wide range of services, and the landlocked countrys access to international bandwidth is being improved by a regional fibre backbone network and new submarine fibre optic cables off the continent’s east and west coasts.

The planned privatisation of BTC has been postponed in the wake of the global economic crisis but is expected to be resumed in the near future. Market highlights:

One of the highest levels of mobile and fixed-line penetration in Africa;
GDP growth has rebounded to 6% following a recession in 2009;
BTC privatisation planned;
Profiles of major players in all market sectors;
Different mobile operator strategies to tackle the broadband market.Estimated market penetration rates in Botswana’s telecoms sector - end 2012
MarketPenetration rate
Mobile164%
Fixed7.4%
Internet9.5%
(Source: BuddeComm based on various sources)
Companies covered in this report:

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC);


Mascom Wireless (MTN);
Orange Botswana (Vista Cellular);
BeMobile;
Botsnet;
MTN Businesss;
InfoBotswana (IBIS);
Broadband Botswana Internet (BBI);
OPQ Net;
Mega Internet;
Global Broadband Solution (GBS);
Tsagae Communications;
Virtual Business Network Services (VBN);
Bytes Technology;
Fourth Dimension;
Hi-Performance Systems;
Microteck Enterprises;
Tharinet;
Netspread;
First National Bank.