Botswana Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: April 2024

Report Pages: 148

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Botswana’s national network continues to increase in scale

Effective regulatory reform has made Botswana’s telecom market one of the most liberalised in the region. There is a service-neutral licensing regime adapted to the convergence of technologies and services, and several operators now compete in all telecom sectors.

Botswana has one of the highest mobile penetration rates in Africa, though with this growth in the number of subscribers has slowed sharply in recent years. The popular use of multiple SIM cards from different operators convinced that regulator that there was no need introduce mobile number portability, and although the government pursued the idea for some years, it accepted in April 2021 that it would not be implemented after all.

In a bid to generate new revenue streams and secure market share, the three MNOs – Mascom Wireless (an affiliate of South Africa’s MTN), Orange Botswana (backed by Orange Group) and BTC – have entered the underdeveloped broadband sector by adopting of 3G, LTE, and WiMAX technologies. In the fixed-line broadband market they compete with a large number of ISPs, some of which have rolled out their own wireless access infrastructure.

The landlocked country depends on satellites for international bandwidth, and on other countries for transit capacity to the landing points of international submarine cables. The landing of additional cables in the region in recent years has improved the competitive situation in this sector, while prices for connectivity have fallen dramatically. Paratus Teleco in mid-2021 completed the first stage of a private network covering the entire country, and linking to the company’s international cables.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. The telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure.

Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

BTC improves satellite connectivity to improve rural broadband access and support e-learning and e-government services;
Regulator tenders for a multi-spectrum mobile broadband licence;
Government revises e-commerce strategy as part of the Vision 2036 program;
Orange Botswana expands its Digital Schools Project, extends the reach of LTE-A services;
Alphabet cancels Project Loon trials;
Korea Telecom advises BTC on LTE network optimisation;
Orange Money initiates cross-border m-payment platform;
BTC reports 16% increase in net profit in fiscal 2021;
Report update includes Statistics Botswana’s data to Q2 2021, telcos' data to Q3 2021, regulator's annual report updates and market data to Q1 2021, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC), Mascom Wireless (MTN), Orange Botswana (Vista Cellular), beMobile, Botsnet, MTN Business, 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

Key statistics
Regional Africa Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Universal Service and Access Strategy
Unified Licensing Framework
Infrastructure sharing
Telecom sector liberalisation
Regulatory reform 2006
Service-neutral licences since 2007
Privatisation

Mobile network developments

Backbone infrastructure
SIM card registration
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Mobile Termination Rate (MTR)
Roaming

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

Mascom Wireless
Orange Botswana (formerly Vista Cellular)
BTC (beMobile)
MVNOs

Mobile content and applications

m-banking, m-money

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Market analysis
Public internet access facilities
Botswana Internet Exchange (BINX)
White space spectrum
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Digital economy

E-health
E-learning
e-commerce

Fixed network operators

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC)
Liquid Intelligence Technologies (LIT)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
International infrastructure

Submarine cables

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Botswana – 2021 (e)
Table 2 – Telecom aggregate financial data (BWP million) – 2012, 2013, 2015 – 2018
Table 3 – Telecom sector investment – 2015 – 2018
Table 4 – Change in BOCRA Group’s surplus revenue – 2009 – 2020
Table 5 – Change in BOCRA’s income (Authority) – 2012 – 2020
Table 6 – Change in BOCRA Group’s income by type (BWP million) – 2012 – 2020
Table 7 – Telecom licenses by category (old framework) – 2011 – 2018
Table 8 – Telecom licenses by category (new framework) – 2017 – 2019
Table 9 – Fall in the MTR – 2011 – 2014; 2017 – 2018
Table 10 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 11 – Mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2010 – 2021
Table 12 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 13 – Change in SMS traffic (million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 14 – Mobile internet subscribers by operator – 2012 – 2021
Table 15 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband penetration – 2013 – 2026
Table 16 – Growth in mobile broadband traffic (PB) – 2016 – 2019
Table 17 – Development of Mascom Botswana’s mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2021
Table 18 – Growth in the number of Mascom Botswana’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 19 – Development of Mascom Botswana’s financial data (ZAR million) – 2015 – 2021
Table 20 – Growth in the number of Orange Botswana’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 21 – Growth in the number of BTC’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 22 – BTC mobile revenue by service (BWP million) – 2015 – 2021
Table 23 – Increase in the number of mobile money users – 2011 – 2021
Table 24 – Change in the number of mobile money users by operator – 2014 – 2021
Table 25 – Growth in the number of internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2021
Table 26 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2026
Table 27 – DSL broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Table 28 – Fixed wireless broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 29 – Development of BTC’s financial data (BWP million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 30 – Annual change in BTC’s financial data (BWP million) – 2010 – 2021
Table 31 – Development of BTC’s revenue by service (BWP million) – 2013 – 2021
Table 32 – Annual change in BTC’s revenue by service (BWP million) – 2014 – 2021
Table 33 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026
Table 34 – Development of international internet bandwidth – 2011 – 2020
Table 35 – Historic - BTC financial results (million) – 2005 – 2010
Table 36 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2003 – 2010
Table 37 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Botswana – 2000 – 2010
Table 38 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in Botswana – 2000 – 2010
Table 39 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 – 2010
Table 40 – Historic - Mascom Botswana ARPU – 2005 – 2010
Table 41 – Historic - Orange Botswana Subscribers – 2007 – 2010
Table 42 – Historic - Orange Botswana mobile revenue – 2008 – 2014
Table 43 – Historic - Value of mobile money transactions – 2011 – 2014
Table 44 – Historic - Mobile money transactions by volume – 2013 – 2014
Table 45 – Historic - DSL broadband subscribers – 2008 – 2010

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Africa – Market Leaders global ranking
Chart 3 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 4 – Africa – Market Challengers global ranking
Chart 5 – Africa Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 6 – Africa – Market Emergents global ranking
Chart 7 – Africa – Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 8 – Africa – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Africa – Fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Telecom sector financial data – 2012, 2013, 2015 – 2018
Chart 11 – Change in BOCRA Group’s income by type (BWP million) – 2012 – 2020
Chart 12 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 13 – Mobile market share of subscribers by operator – 2010 – 2021
Chart 14 – Change in the number of prepaid and contract subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 15 – Change in SMS traffic (million) – 2011 – 2021
Chart 16 – Mobile internet subscribers by operator (thousand) – 2012 – 2021
Chart 17 – Active mobile broadband penetration – 2013 – 2026
Chart 18 – Growth in mobile broadband traffic (PB) – 2016 – 2019
Chart 19 – Development of Mascom Botswana’s mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2021
Chart 20 – Growth in the number of Mascom Botswana’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2011 – 2021
Chart 21 – Development of Mascom Botswana’s financial data – 2015 – 2021
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of Orange Botswana’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 23 – Growth in the number of BTC’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 24 – BTC mobile revenue by service – 2015 – 2021
Chart 25 – Change in the number of mobile money users by operator – 2014 – 2021
Chart 26 – Growth in the number of internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2011 – 2021
Chart 27 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2026
Chart 28 – Development of BTC’s financial data – 2011 – 2021
Chart 29 – Development of BTC’s revenue by service – 2013 – 2021
Chart 30 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Africa
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Africa – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Africa – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Africa – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Map of Botswana

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Botswana Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Botswana’s national network continues to increase in scale

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views