Contents GENERAL INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMES • MAITLAMO ICT POLICY • E-GOVERNMENT UPDATE • INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY UPDATE • NTELETSA II • BTC PRIVATISATION AND SEPARATION • BOTSWANA SAVINGS BANK/ BOTSWANAPOST MERGER • BTA/NBB MERGER • Digital Television Standard REGULATORY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMES • Implementation of Regulatory Directive No 1 of 2011 • Reduced Botsgate Prices • Mobile Number Portability • Regulatory Impact Assessment on National Roaming • Trials of Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) • Country Code Top Level Domain Name System (ccTLD) CONCLUSION Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Implications of e-Government Developments • Delivery of enhanced government services, prompt response to customer needs • More services accessible online. • Enhanced access networks required Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

International Connectivity Update Implications • Plans on how to utilise these acquired capacity • Innovative ideas • Transforming Botswana economy Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Separation Model • All the local and national access dark fibre systems (without active equipment) that includes the Trans-Kgalagadi Optical Fibre, the metropolitan fibre loops, the Francistown-Gaborone fibre loop and all other dark fibre systems; • newly deployed Dense Wave Division Multiplex (DWDM) system and active electronic equipment and the associated assets; • own and operate the East Africa Sea System (EASSY) and the West Africa Cable System (WACS) and rights that include the terrestrial backhaul links Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Implications • Privatisation and separation work plan and schedule. • Access to fibre and other services on same terms • Facility Based Operator licence (wholesale services only) Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Implications: BSB/POST MERGER • Implementing the merger through a holding company allows the subsidiaries to realise cost savings derived from sharing of support services and result in efficiency in service delivery. • Approval of the Bills, constitutions and naming will pave way for concluding registration of the Holding Company • Completion of the registration of the Holding Company will pave the way for recruitment of Board of Directors and Executive Management to oversee the operational mandate of The Holding Company. Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Purpose of CRA Bill • To establish a converged Communications Regulatory Authority, a regulatory oversight body (Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority or BOCRA) • Telecommunications, broadcasting, postal subsectors and Information Communications Technology in general • Regulating and monitoring the activities of these subsectors • NBB & BTA Merging, single Board Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Implications CRA Bill and Botswana Postal Amendment Bill and Broadcasting Repeal Bill • Telecommunications, ICTs, Postal and Broadcasting sectors are now to be regulated under one law and one Authority. • Secondary legislation yet to be reviewed • Review: Consultative process to start Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

International Forums • Ministry & BTA: Participating in a number of international forums at which various issues pertaining to ICT developments, regulation, policy and standards: Locally & Internationally • Industry stakeholders must also participate and are INVITED especially international • Upcoming events • Universal Postal Union (UPU) congress will held at Doha from 27 Sept – 15 Oct 2012 • ITU Telecom World, Dubai from 14 -18 October • World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA 12), Dubai, from 20 to 29 November • World Conference on International Telecommunication (WCT 12) will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 3-14 December 2012 to review the current International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs), Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

REGULATORY INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMES Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Implementation of Regulatory Directive No 1 of 2011 • BTA continued to monitor implementation of the Regulatory Directive No 1 of 2011 which sought to reduce tariffs for telecommunications services. • Made sure the service providers fully implemented the Directive in order to make sure that the benefits of reduced wholesale prices trickle down to the consumers. • The BTA also provided clarity and resolved sticky points between the service providers on the interpretation of the Directive. • The BTA has carried out an impact assessment of the Directive on the market and the results has indicated positive developments in terms of increased traffic and increased service uptake. Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Reduced Botsgate Prices • BTAapproved yet another reduction for the wholesale International Internet bandwidth provided by BTC. • Reduction as direct benefit of the Governments investment in the EASSyand WACS undersea cables • Reduction up to 59% Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Mobile Number Portability • BTA Study (April 2012) aimed at assessing the viability or otherwise of Mobile Number Portability in Botswana. • The preliminary report of the study shared with the industry stakeholders in May 2012 • Generally the preliminary report indicated that it might not be viable to introduce Mobile Number Portability in Botswana given the relatively small market size. Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Regulatory Impact Assessment on National Roaming • To conduct Regulatory Impact Assessment on National Roaming in this financial year. • The main reasons for considering national roaming: • Most rural areas covered by one mobile network: challenge for mobile customers • Assess whether it is feasible re-introduce national roaming in the market, in particular in areas where there is one operator in remote areas. Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Trials of Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) • BTA assigned Mascom and Orange spectrum to conduct trials for the 4th Generation mobile system. • The 4G LTE is a mobile broadband wireless technology that can deliver very fast data speeds of up to 100Mbps. • The trials are expected to last about six months. Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Country Code Top Level Domain Name System (ccTLD) • The BTA is continuing with implementation of the ccTLD systems. • The hardware and software systems for running the domain name systems has been installed at BTA, with a backup system installed at Francistown. • The intention is to run the domain name system installed at BTA in parallel with the existing one at BTC for a period of 24 months. • The development of the domain name policies is still on-going. Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Future Plans and Initiatives • Universal Services and Access Policy • Universal Services and Access Fund • ICT Masterplan (Review of the pre2007 plan) • Establishment of Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority • REVIEW OF LICENSING FRAMEWORK(telecomms, broadcasting, postal, internet) • Postal Policy • Roll-out of Digital Television Migration Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Conclusion • Cooperation and collaboration cardinal • Number of activities upcoming e.g. secondary legislation. • Consultations on pieces of e-Legislation • Knowledge-based economy: your input cardinal as well • ICT contribution to economy needs to grow: can we set ourselves a target today? Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Thank You Ke a leboga Confidential. 2012 Ministry of Transport and Communications.

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