MINISTRY OF WORKS, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
4. INTRODUCTION
The information and communication revolution sweeping the world has
brought new meaning to the concept of telecommunications. New
technologies have drastically lowered the cost of communications
equipment and erased the previous boundaries between voice telephony,
radio communication, data- and video transmission and broadcasting. The
telecommunications industry has over the past decade seen many new
actors in the market and state owned telecommunications monopolies are
no longer regarded as the only means of providing essential
telecommunications services to society.
In order to exploit the economic potential of the new technologies and not
be left behind in the information race, countries world wide have begun
to reassess the structure of their telecommunications industry.
The aims, positions and measures outlined in this paper are intended to
establish a balanced and realistic policy framework for the restructuring
of the telecommunications sector in Botswana in order to meet the
challenges and opportunities of the new global information society.
The policy will lay the foundation for an accelerated expansion of
services and networks to the benefit of users in the whole country. It is
further likely to increase customer focus of the operators, improve
services and lead to lower prices. It will diversify the supply of basic
services and promote introduction of new technologies e.g. radio
technologies as an alternative to wired local networks.
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TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY FOR BOTSWANA