Communications Authority Ensuring World-Class Standards

The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) ensures world-class standards in Botswana’s communications activities. Established in April 2013 through the Communications Regulatory Authority Act, BOCRA is an integrated regulatory authority overseeing Botswana’s telecom and ICT sectors, internet services, radio and commercial broadcasting, postal services, and related communications activities.

“One thing that is crystal clear is that broadband internet can absolutely transform the way we live and work. I am very pleased with the progress that has been made since last year when we started this project”, said BOCRA Chief Executive, Thari G. Pheko. BOCRA recently announced further progression yet with a consumer-centric five-year strategy which Thari Pheko dubbed ‘a new chapter on the BOCRA journey’.

The authority’s overarching ambition is to position Botswana as the best country in Africa for communications in both access and usage, based on factors established by the International Telecommunication Union. The six specific targets of the strategy are universal access, competition, affordability, consumer protection, and efficient management of communications resources.

“Broadband adoption is key to unlocking Botswana’s transformation and it is our shared responsibility to advance and encourage its adoption to give everyone a chance at the benefits this access will bring them” Thari Pheko said.

Should this goal be realised it will be an exciting new era for the nation, and Minister of Transport and Communication’s Nonofo E. Molefhi noted the progress Botswana has already made in developing communications services since independence in 1966. He said, “The phenomenal growth of the mobile sector, the growth of private broadcasters, and the recent regulation of the postal sector are some of the developments that the sector has experienced over the years. We celebrate these achievements and remind ourselves that we have just started a new chapter.”

One of BOCRA’s initial priorities is to make sure that modern communications services are available throughout the nation, including residents of low-income and rural areas. Another key task involves licensing telecom-services providers and ensuring their compliance with Botswana’s regulations for the communications sector.

Botswana is also encouraging investment in international telecommunication networks to promote wholesale pricing. “If anything our recommendations should specifically call for greater broadband investment and should express support for a multi-stakeholder investment model”, Thari Pheko said. “I am confident that investment in infrastructure and capacity development will play a very important role in furthering broadband rollout around Botswana, and will bring the Internet within reach of the 2 million people who are still offline”, he concluded.