26 Jul 2017

Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has put in place quality of service guidelines which are used by operators for Internet service-delivery to consumers to establish criteria for monitoring improvements and the performance targets of all types of services for broadband Internet. 

Minister Kitso Mokaila of transport and communications said service providers were required to make quarterly submissions of the types of packages offered, including statistics on achieved maximum and minimum speeds, pricing, service activation times and fault repair times. 

“In relation to Internet performance, service providers are also required to submit the utilisation of the wholesale Internet that is being resold to retail customers, essentially to determine if it is enough,” he added. 

The minister pointed out that BOCRA and the Competition Authority entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in October 2014 where the two entities shared useful information and assisted each other with investigations, research and analysis of anti-competitive behavior that could be suspected. 

He added that under the MOU both entities had established a joint committee which facilitated cooperation and consultation with respect to matters of competition in the sector. 

Specially Elected Member of Parliament, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo had asked the minister what regulatory measures by BOCRA were in place to ensure the quality of Internet was good and worth government investment, and how BOCRA and the Competition Authority worked together to ensure there was no collusion among Internet service providers. ENDS