News & Events

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On the 27 – 31 May 2019, BOCRA will host the 4th Sub-Sahara Spectrum Management Conference and the ITU Capacity Building Workshop on Cross Border Frequency Co-ordination . Hosted with partners International Telecommunication Union (ITU), African Telecommunications Union (ATU), Forum Europe, these conferences will provide platforms for:

• Top-level meetings and topical discussions on spectrum management and coordination policies across Sub Sahara Africa and beyond;
• Capacity building on Cross Border Frequency Coordination to address latest technical tools and coordination mechanisms that are used by African countries to achieve smooth dialogue on spectrum management and monitoring issues; and
• Launch of Policy and Regulation for Digital Africa (PRIDA) to foster universally accessible, affordable and effective wireless broadband across the continent to unlock future benefits on internet-based services;

On May 17, the Botswana ICT sector, led by the Ministry of Transport and Communications will convene in Sefhare village on May 17, to commemorate the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) 2019, and the Girls in ICT Day. During these events, the ICT stakeholders will donate ICTs and connectivity to selected schools within the area and teach ICT skills to students and youth in the area.

Commemorated under the themes - Bridging the Standardization Gap; and Expanding Horizons, Changing Attitudes; the objectives of these events are to reflect how uptake and usage of ICTs in Botswana can positively impact Botswana’s ICT- centric economy, growth and job creation. ENDs.

Further Notes

Founded on 1865 as the International Telegraph Convention was established to ensure that telegraph networks had a common language, codes and technical rules to facilitate communications. Later, renamed the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), this United Nations specialized agency is mandated to oversee all ICTs and establish standards which will ensure that networks and devices communicate and interoperate seamlessly.

This year, May 17 marks the 50th anniversary of the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD). It comes as no surprise that the ITU chose for theme: Bridging the Standardization Gap because the ITU has since its founding been devoted to establishing standards. This theme is a throwback to the ITU’s historic and continuing concern - to develop standards that will help close the communications gap.

As we go about our daily lives, we encounter ITU’s global standards every day without knowing it. Yet, hidden within the ICT networks and devices we use every day, ITU standards rarely perceived by users, exist, and are vital to ensuring that ICT equipment and devices manufactured by thousands of different companies around the world can interoperate.

The theme, ‘Bridging the Standardization Gap’, highlights the disparity between developed and developing countries in how far they are involved in standardization.  Commonly referred to as the Standardization Gap, this inequality contributes to the so-called digital divide. Because of the highly specialized and technical nature of standards, this area is sometimes viewed as purely technical. To address this misconception, the ITU has initiated a Bridging the Digital Gap programme to help developing countries get on the ladder to contribute to the development of standards.

The ITU calls upon governments, academia, ICT stakeholders to recognize and emphasize the critical role of globally interoperable standards to the areas of electronic commerce, eHealth, scientific information, and to promote the development and adoption of open, interoperable, non-discriminatory and demands-driven standards.

When developing countries do not participate in developing standards, they must accept the design choices and associated policy consequences of dominant standards. As such, developing countries often find themselves being forced acquire inefficient products, ill-suited to domestic use, resulting in costly and inefficient infrastructure.

In order to close the standardization gap, Botswana must resolve to initiate plans that will in the short to long term provide for an active contribution to the ITU standardization work; and build technical expertise within its human resource capital to develop standards.

For further information, please contact:
Mr Aaron T. Nyelesi 
Director – Corporate Communications and PR BOCRA 
Tel (mobile) 713 137 65

The Authority seeks to appoint qualified, enthusiastic and results oriented citizen of Botswana in the following position:

• Accounts Officer
• Assistant Accounts Officer

Closing Date: 10 May 2019

Click on the link to access the Draft Advertising code for Broadcasters: https://www.bocra.org.bw/draft-advertising-code-broadcasters

Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA or the Authority) invites broadcasters, advertisers, users and all other interested parties to make input to the DRAFT CODE OF ADVERTISING FOR BROADCASTING. The deadline for submission of input is the 3^rd May 2019 at 17:00hrs. Upon receipt, BOCRA will consolidate all input, share the final document with stakeholders and determine the way forward.

The broadcasting sector continues to grow, and with it comes new opportunities for advertisers to reach a wider audience. Therefore, BOCRA is developing a Code of Advertising for Broadcasting to provide a common and predictable process for advertisements of products and services. The Code will be applicable to all licensed and Online broadcasters authorised by BOCRA.

BOCRA is a statutory body established under the Communications Regulatory Authority Act [CRA Act, 2012] with a responsibility to regulate the communications sector in Botswana, comprising telecommunications, Internet and Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), radio communications, broadcasting, postal services and related matters.

The Draft Code of Advertising Broadcasting is available from the BOCRA website: www.bocra.org.bw or BOCRA Head Office, Plot 50671, Independence Avenue.

Comments should be submitted to:

The Chief Executive
Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority
Plot No 50671, Independence Avenue
Private Bag 00495
Gaborone

Attention:

Masego M. Jeremiah jeremiah@bocra.org.bw Tel 395 7755/368 5500

The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) will host a consultative workshop on Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing on the 21st March 2019, at Travel Lodge.

As per Schedule II of the Financial Intelligence (Amendment) Act, 2018 (No. 7 of 2018), BOCRA has been appointed as a Supervisory Authority. As such, all regulated entities under the CRA Act of 2012 are, by extension, expected to comply to the requirements of the Financial Intelligence (Amendment) Act, 2018 (No.7 of 2018).

Botswana is a member of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) which is an associate member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) an inter-governmental body mandated to set standards and promote effective measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

This stakeholder consultative workshop aims to shed more light on the recommendations of the FATF, and the action plan thereof in the context of the communications industry in Botswana.

NB: It is mandatory for all regulated entities to be represented at this Workshop.

For registration, please contact:
Mr. Emmanuel Thekiso 
Email : thekiso@bocra.org.bw 
Tel: 368 5500 / 368 5548 

Or

Ms. Itumeleng Lenna Mafale 
Email : mafale@bocra.org.bw 
Tel: 368 5500 / 368 5519  

Today, the Universal Access Servuce Fund (www.uasf.org.bw) in partnership with Orange Botswana, BOCRA, MTC, Ministry of Basic Education and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development launch the Schools Connectivity and upgrades of base stations in the villages to 3G in the Mabutsane, Morwamosu, Sekoma, Khonkhwa, Keng, Khakhea, Kokong, Kanaku, Mahotshwane, Itholoke, Kutuku, Mokhomma, Seherelela, Sese, Maokane, Samane, Lefhoko, and Betesankwe villages.   

The Universal Access and Service Fund was created by BOCRA to fund access to ICTs to all Batswana, especially in those rural and remote parts of Botswana.

Click here to download document:

• BOCRA Spectrum Management Strategy Consultation
• Final Consultation Response Cover Sheet
• Consultation Response Form -Spectrum Management Strategy phase 2

Deadline for submission of comments/input is Friday 18th January 2019, 5pm.

Click here to download document;

• Draft Numbering Policy for Botswana

Deadline for submission of comments/input is Friday 18th January 2019, 5pm.