The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has approved a reduction to charges for fixed broadband internet services offered by Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC).

BTC, a listed company, is on a closed period pending their annual results for the year ended March 2020.

However, in its cautionary statement to shareholders issued on this bourse recently, the company indicated that it anticipated a 20% increase in profits hitting about P139-million. Additionally, the company has also indicated that its broadband services have grown by double digits after it rolled out a datacentre, fixed broadband and mobile broadband 4G.

20Mbps on a three-year contract used to cost P975.00 per month and will now cost P650.00. For 50Mbps, a subscriber would have to pay P1,985 per month but will now pay P1.200.00 and 100Mbps will now cost P1,900 down from P2,800.

A comparison between the old and new fixed broadband tariffs indicates 20Mbps have been reduced by 33%; 50Mbps by 40% and 100Mbps by 32%.

BOCRA spokesperson Aaron Nyelesi said: “Botswana aims at making ICTs affordable to citizens in order to facilitate learning and working from home as the economy grapples with the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Nyelesi added that said the price reductions also align with the objective to transform the country’s economy from being commodity-based to being knowledge-based.

The broadband tariff reductions have been announced following engagement between BOCRA and mobile operators on opportunities for reducing prices for mobile broadband or data bundles.