Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | 1996 |
| |
Dissolved | 2013 |
Jurisdiction | Government of Botswana |
Headquarters | 206/207 Independence Avenue, Gaborone |
Minister responsible |
|
Agency executive |
|
Website | www.bta.org.bw |
Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) is a dissolved independent commission that was responsible for regulating all matters related to telecommunications ( wire, cellular, satellite and cable), postal services of Botswana and has been succeeded by Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority. [1] The Minister appoints all five board members, who serve on a part-time basis. The BTA is mandated to promote the development and provision of efficient telecommunications and broadcasting services in Botswana, under the terms of the Telecommunications Act 15 of 1996. There have been legal disputes between the BTA and licensed operators, springing from issues related to interconnection and pricing.
Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) was established in 1980 to provide, develop, operate and manage Botswana's national and international telecommunications services. The Botswana government holds 100 percent equity in the BTC. [2] Botswana's history of sector reform dates to 1980, when the BTC was created through the Botswana Telecommunications Act. The act established the BTC as a monopoly of telecommunications services and separated it from Posts (which continued to operate as a government department).
Following public concerns regarding unsatisfactory telecommunications services during the 1990s (including lack of competition in providing services, limited private-sector participation, lack of transparency in decision-making and lack of a platform for consumer complaints), the government began public consultations to liberalise the telecommunications market. In 1992 the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications was tasked with policy transformation. The consultations culminated in the approval of the 1995 Telecommunications Policy for Botswana: the blueprint for restructuring the telecommunications sector, which embodied principles which guided the form of the government monopoly. The transformation process led to the formation of the BTA under the Telecommunications Act 1996, as passed in the National Assembly on 1 August 1996. [3]
The board, as established by section four of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the BTA and not involved in itsdaily management. It oversees the functions and approves policy and regulations. The board also approves the annual budget and additional expenditures not included in the annual budget. [4]
The following legislation prescribes the powers and functions of the BTA:
The aforementioned acts prescribe the powers and functions of BTA as follows:
Section 12 protects freedom of expression. It also provides for an exemption, in that it states in subsection 12(2) that nothing contained in (or done under) the Telecommunications Act of 1996 or any law shall be held to be inconsistent with (or in contravention of) this section, to the extent that the law in question makes provision regulating the technical administration or the technical operation of telephony, telegraphy, posts, wireless, broadcasting or television.
In terms of section 17, BTA's functions and powers are:
In terms of the regulations:
In terms of section nine, the BTA serves as the secretariat of the Botswana National Broadcasting Board (NBB). In terms of this role, the BTA:
In terms of section 12(2), BTA applications for broadcasting or re-broadcasting licences shall be made to the BTA as the secretariat; in terms of section 13, the NBB issues the licences.
In terms of section 15, any notices of changes to the particulars of a licence (especially with regard to proprietorship) or the acquisition of any interest shall be made to the BTA but approved by the NBB.
The object of the Act is to amend the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as follows:
Further core purposes of the BTA are: [10]
The BTA was involved in the following cases:
Statistic | Per 100 inhabitants |
---|---|
Fixed telephone lines | 7.41 |
Mobile cellular subscriptions | 77.34 |
Internet users | 6.25 |
Computers | 6.25 |
Broadband Internet subscribers | 0.46 |
TV sets | 4.35 |
Radio sets | 75.58 |
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Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | 1996 |
| |
Dissolved | 2013 |
Jurisdiction | Government of Botswana |
Headquarters | 206/207 Independence Avenue, Gaborone |
Minister responsible |
|
Agency executive |
|
Website | www.bta.org.bw |
Botswana Telecommunications Authority (BTA) is a dissolved independent commission that was responsible for regulating all matters related to telecommunications ( wire, cellular, satellite and cable), postal services of Botswana and has been succeeded by Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority. [1] The Minister appoints all five board members, who serve on a part-time basis. The BTA is mandated to promote the development and provision of efficient telecommunications and broadcasting services in Botswana, under the terms of the Telecommunications Act 15 of 1996. There have been legal disputes between the BTA and licensed operators, springing from issues related to interconnection and pricing.
Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) was established in 1980 to provide, develop, operate and manage Botswana's national and international telecommunications services. The Botswana government holds 100 percent equity in the BTC. [2] Botswana's history of sector reform dates to 1980, when the BTC was created through the Botswana Telecommunications Act. The act established the BTC as a monopoly of telecommunications services and separated it from Posts (which continued to operate as a government department).
Following public concerns regarding unsatisfactory telecommunications services during the 1990s (including lack of competition in providing services, limited private-sector participation, lack of transparency in decision-making and lack of a platform for consumer complaints), the government began public consultations to liberalise the telecommunications market. In 1992 the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications was tasked with policy transformation. The consultations culminated in the approval of the 1995 Telecommunications Policy for Botswana: the blueprint for restructuring the telecommunications sector, which embodied principles which guided the form of the government monopoly. The transformation process led to the formation of the BTA under the Telecommunications Act 1996, as passed in the National Assembly on 1 August 1996. [3]
The board, as established by section four of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the BTA and not involved in itsdaily management. It oversees the functions and approves policy and regulations. The board also approves the annual budget and additional expenditures not included in the annual budget. [4]
The following legislation prescribes the powers and functions of the BTA:
The aforementioned acts prescribe the powers and functions of BTA as follows:
Section 12 protects freedom of expression. It also provides for an exemption, in that it states in subsection 12(2) that nothing contained in (or done under) the Telecommunications Act of 1996 or any law shall be held to be inconsistent with (or in contravention of) this section, to the extent that the law in question makes provision regulating the technical administration or the technical operation of telephony, telegraphy, posts, wireless, broadcasting or television.
In terms of section 17, BTA's functions and powers are:
In terms of the regulations:
In terms of section nine, the BTA serves as the secretariat of the Botswana National Broadcasting Board (NBB). In terms of this role, the BTA:
In terms of section 12(2), BTA applications for broadcasting or re-broadcasting licences shall be made to the BTA as the secretariat; in terms of section 13, the NBB issues the licences.
In terms of section 15, any notices of changes to the particulars of a licence (especially with regard to proprietorship) or the acquisition of any interest shall be made to the BTA but approved by the NBB.
The object of the Act is to amend the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as follows:
Further core purposes of the BTA are: [10]
The BTA was involved in the following cases:
Statistic | Per 100 inhabitants |
---|---|
Fixed telephone lines | 7.41 |
Mobile cellular subscriptions | 77.34 |
Internet users | 6.25 |
Computers | 6.25 |
Broadband Internet subscribers | 0.46 |
TV sets | 4.35 |
Radio sets | 75.58 |
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link)
{{
cite web}}
: Missing or empty |title=
(
help)[
dead link]