07 Sep 2017

Botswana Communication Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) is committed to ensuring that the nation continues to enjoy accessing a secure, safe and fast internet.

Briefing Parliamentary Committee on Communications Works, Transport and Technology on its first ever open public hearing on September 5, acting chief executive officer of BOCRA, Mr Tshoganetso Kepaletswe said the organisation was trying its best to make internet accessible to most users across the country.

He noted that his organisation was also with other stakeholders working on increasing the speed of internet in the copper as it was been learnt that copper had a slow flow of internet speed.

He noted that this is done through rolling up optic fibre connectivity to most building structure as it has proved to be fast and reliable.

To ensure that the country is adequately covered, Mr Kepaletswe said they have come up with initiative to connect 3G to villages with a population of 5 000, while villages with a population of 10 000 will be connected to a 4G for easy access to internet.

He however, dispel suggestion that the provision of 3G meet poor quality because at times those provided with 4G may have difficulty in accessing internet because of the volume of users.

In the interim, Mr Kepaletswe said BOCRA was facing the problem of land shortage to erect base stations for a wider network coverage, noting that in the past they have tried to expand some base stations by adding more equipment to them with only little success.

He therefore called on the committee to assist in acquiring more land especially around Gaborone, which experiences more of this problem.

Meanwhile, he said they have not detected any collusion by service providers of any anti-competitive tendencies, noting that their current prices were within reach of many mobile users.

In addition he said they conduct quarterly price analysis and have so far not detected anything amuse.

In the meantime, Mr Kepaletswe said the use of mobile and internet in the country has steadily grown over the years and that there is potential for the market to grow further with more completion.

He further said they are licensing more televisions which will break the monopoly which has been enjoyed by DStv.

The committee meanwhile had to send back a team of officials from the Ministry of Transport and Communications as it felt they could not sufficiently answer some questions regarding some of the major public infrastructure the ministry is currently undertaking across the country.

The Samuel Rantuana-led committee, which is made up of MPs such as Noah Salakae, Machana Shamukuni, Mephato Reatile, Sethomo Lelatisitswe, Phenyo Butale and Guma Moyo, was not amused when officers could not readily give basic answers regarding the status of their projects.

The team will appear again on Friday and it has been sternly advised to come prepared because some of the information needed will help the committee to make a proper presentation before Parliament. 

They are to brief on Charleshill/Ncojane 110km tarred road, Kazungula Ferry Border Bridge, Mohembo Bridge and Gaborone/Boatle dual carriage road among others. ENDS