A report on national broadband strategy prepared for the Botswana telecoms regulator has reportedly recommended the approval of an application by state-owned Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) for a telecoms licence.
The report, prepared by ICT…
A report on national broadband strategy prepared for the Botswana telecoms regulator has reportedly recommended the approval of an application by state-owned Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) for a telecoms licence.
The report, prepared by ICT consultants for the predecessor of the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority’s (BOCRA’s), recommends BPC adopt the model of a ‘Public Telecommunications Operator’, according to local publication Mmegi citing the document.
The ICT team’s report is based on a BPC feasibility study, which concluded that the company could use its extensive fibre optic cable network to provide telecoms services in urban and rural areas.
The report suggests that the company’s infrastructure could also be made available to other telecoms operators in order to boost broadband development and in-market competition in the southern African nation.
According to the report, BPC management has requested authorisation from their board, the government and the regulator for a telecoms licence.
A BOCRA spokesperson was unable to immediately confirm whether such an application had been received. However, he affirmed that BPC has suggested its cable network could be leveraged for the telecoms sector.
The report states that if the government and regulator refuse to grant BPC a telecoms licence, the company could lease cable access to the newly-established Botswana Fibre Network (BoFiNet).
BPC was not immediately available for comment.
