The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has floated a tender for an international mobile telecommunications spectrum (IMT) licence for the provision of mobile broadband wireless access services.
According to BOCRA the call is for the provision of mobile broadband wireless access services in the spectrum bands 450 – 470 MHz, 790 - 862 MHz, 2110-2200 MHz, 3400 – 3600 MHz, and 2500-2690 for broadband wireless access.
BOCRA’s tender also said that the applications will open on October 7th, 2021, at the BOCRA offices and the tender opening results will be shared with bidders through the website.
Local media quoted Aaron Nyelesi, spokesperson for BOCRA as saying: “The current networks, particularly mobile, continue to experience congestion as demand increases and BOCRA desires to license additional IMT and Fixed Service spectrum to alleviate this congestion and increase good customer service and experience."
Aaron added: "The release of the spectrum also supports BOCRA’s desires to create an environment that is conducive to the rollout of intelligent or smart technologies such as IoT, smart cities, connected utilities to move Botswana to a fully digital economy.”
BOCRA will issue a non-tradable spectrum licence for a period of 15 years to the successful applicants, citing that the Authority will require the applicants to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to implement the project, including the required technical capability.
