BOFINET BITS & BYTES VOL 3, ISSUE 3

News letter FOREWORD

BOTSWANA’S INTERNET GATEWAY UPGRADED

April 2025 BOFINET OFFICIALLY HANDS OVER THE SATA CHAIRMANSHIP

PROCUREMENT OVERSIGHT UNIT UPHOLDS TRANSPARENCY

DATA PROTECTION COMPLIANCE EMPOWERS THE DIGITAL FUTURE

RELIEF PROVIDED TO COMMUNITIES HIT BY RECENT FLOODING

Public Relations, Marketing & Communications Manager Foreword catering for the exponential growth in

internet traffic that the country has been experiencing over the last few years and the future demand that we project to experience. As a strategic partner to the Government, BoFiNet has been proud to partner with Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) to deploy Wi-Fi hotspots across 17 BURS offices and border posts. This is a demonstration of our capability as a technical partner; and our commitment to delivering excellent service to our customers.

Ms. Keleabetswe Loeto I am proud to introduce this issue of our quarterly e-newsletter to our valued external stakeholders. BoFiNet continues to make significant strides in transforming the telecommunications and ICT landscape in Botswana, enabling the Government’s digital transformation aspirations and propelling socio-economic advancement in the country. BoFiNet is committed to its role as a strategic partner to the Government and the private sector in Botswana; and the content in this issue articulates some of the projects we have been undertaking that aim to power economic transformation today and position the country for the future.

Our role as a solution provider and enabler of transformation in Botswana extends beyond our mandate in telecommunications. We are rooted in our values of “being in connection”, “living with purpose” and “doing the right thing”, to transform the lives of the communities we live in. This is why recently, when our country was devastated by the worst floods in decades, BoFiNet rose to the occasion and responded financially and in kind to support the affected communities. It was truly humbling to witness the selflessness of the BoFiNet team during our Community Service Day in Tlokweng.

I hope that you enjoy this issue of Bits & Bytes, as you gain more insight into how BoFiNet is partnering with the Government, the private sector and communities to transform Botswana.

We value your feedback; BoFiNet is running a Brand Perception survey to gauge how well we The two (2) Internet gateway upgrade connect with our stakeholder. Please take 10 projects that BoFiNet recently carried out minutes to give us your feedback and help are poised to significantly improve the us to build a BoFiNet that we can all be Internet experience in Botswana, while proud of.

Brand perception survey BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

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BOTSWANA’S INTERNET GATEWAY UPGRADED

Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) has recently completed two (2) strategic projects to upgrade the country’s internet gateway and deliver significant enhancements in the bandwidth, security and reliability of the internet experience in Botswana.

The first project was the replacement of the national metro network within Gaborone, Francistown and Maun to enhance connectivity in strategic sites such as Government offices, shopping malls and business centres in these locations. The metro network is a high-speed network infrastructure designed to provide connectivity within Botswana between different offices, data centers and branches. It utilises fibre optic cables, offering very high data transfer speeds ranging from megabits per second (Mbps) to terabits per second (Tbps).

The network will enable Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to aggregate traffic from various access networks; for example, Fibre to the Home, and connect it to their core network and the wider internet.

BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

The second project entailed the upgrading of equipment and applications that form the gateway that carries internet traffic to and from Botswana. This equipment and applications are housed at special high-capacity sites in London (Global Switch and Telehouse) and Johannesburg (Teraco data centres DC9 and DC3) known as Points of Presence. They are the digital crossroads where BoFiNet directly links with Content Distribution Networks such as Google, Facebook, Netflix and Microsoft to bring content to Botswana via the undersea cables on the eastern and western coasts of Africa.

The project also relocated some equipment from one of the Main Switch Units (MSU) in Gaborone to the recently-completed Digital Delta Data Centre (DDDC), which is a more resilient environment. The DDDC is a carrierneutral data centre owned and operated by BoFiNet. This project serves to address current and future internet capacity demands of customers and end-users, given the exponential increase of internet traffic to and from Botswana over the last 10 years.

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BOTSWANA’S INTERNET GATEWAY UPGRADED (continued)

These two (2) projects will enable customers to enjoy higher capacities, higher speed, more security and overall a more seamless user experience; all while ensuring that the internet gateway is equipped for the future. When updating the media on the two (2) projects during a media engagement session recently, the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BoFiNet, Mr Mpho Koolese, stated that BoFiNet remains committed to its mandate of driving connectivity and economic growth with its network infrastructure.

“We stand firmly behind the Government in delivering on our mandate and advancing the country’s aspirations of a digital future. These two (2) projects that we have just completed are critical to the functioning of our internet infrastructure in the country, which is a key driver of socio-economic growth and the Government’s digital transformation agenda.

They will deliver a major boost to services such as e-health, e-education, smart Government services and Internet of Things,” Koolese concluded.

BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

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DRIVING INCLUSIVE GROWTH THROUGH WOMEN & CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT

One of our commitments as BoFiNet is to drive the participation of women in this technical and previously-male-dominated sectors of telecoms and ICT. We recognise the value that women bring to a diverse and inclusive workforce; especially when they take up positions of influence, responsibility and decision-making. It is on this background that we introduce some of the ladies who have been leading our critical infrastructure projects at BoFiNet such as the IP Core project; and who have executed these with diligence. The upgrade was managed by Ms. Seneo R. Pule, Network Engineer, with Mercy Mmolotsi Technology Planning Assistant Engineer, overseeing IP Core and Onalethata Moisakamo - Service Delivery Engineer, supervising IP Metro.

These projects were both awarded to 100% citizen-owned companies, Hexaract Network Experts (Pty) Ltd and Comsoft (Pty) Ltd, at a combined value of over P100million (one hundred million Pula). Speaking at a media engagement to announce completion of the projects recently, the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BoFiNet, Mr Mpho Koolese, said the company is very proud of its track record of empowering citizen-owned companies in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and telecommunications, having grown its portfolio of citizen contractors by almost 70% over the last 10 years.

The three (3) engineers that were spearheading the upgrade project; Ms. Seneo Pule, Ms. Mercy Mmolotsi and Ms. Onalethata Mosaikamo.

BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

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AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TERM, BOFINET TRANSFERS SATA LEADERSHIP TO OPEN SERVE

BoFiNet successfully handed over the Southern Africa Telecommunications Association (SATA) Chairmanship to Telkom Group’s Open Serve business unit in South Africa. This event took place in Sandton Convention Centre, South Africa from 23rd to 25th April 2025 under the theme, “Purposeful Progress”. The 45th Annual Conference which was graced by delegates from numerous countries across the continent was officially opened by the South African Minister of Communications and Digital Communications, Honourable Solly Malatsi.

During his main address, BoFiNet Commercial Executive, Mr Keabetswe Segole highlighted the importance of regional integration, telecommunications infrastructure development, and digital inclusion as the core pillars that guided BoFiNet’s leadership. He further expressed optimism about elevating these critical issues on global platforms such as the G20, now chaired by South Africa.

“Connectivity is not just about access, it’s about inclusion, infrastructure, and opportunity.”

During BoFiNet’s 2024 tenure the organisation managed to advocate for policies that encourage innovation, and leading initiatives to bridge the digital gap in Southern Africa.

BOFINET Newsletter | April 2025

Watch https://africapublicsector.com/ to watch the SABC news report 5

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TERM, BOFINET TRANSFERS SATA LEADERSHIP TO OPEN SERVE (continued)

Reflecting on BoFiNet’s achievements as SATA Chair As we reflect on our journey for the past year, we note some key achievements, including: Kicking off a key project aimed at developing a business model for SATA, to reduce overreliance of the Association on traditional revenue streams in the form of member subscriptions.

The project has been completed and it will enable SATA to offer services and products to its members and other clientele to augment its revenue streams.

Another noteworthy achievement was the successful hosting of the Women and Girls in ICT Day, which was a virtual event chaired by our very own PRMC Manager, Kelly Loeto. The event was one of the activities organised by SATA in commemoration of the Women and Girls in Telecoms and ICT week from the 26th to the 30th of August, 2024. It was a forum where women and girls from countries such as Angola, Mauritius and Zimbabwe shared their journeys in the tech industry to inspire others.

The above-mentioned project, including training of SATA Board members in the areas of Business Management and Technology, were sponsored by Common Market for Easten and southern Africa (COMESA). The training was also attended by other Board Members from Southern Africa Postal Operators Association (SAPOA) and Communications and Regulatory Association of Southern Africa (CRASA) from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region.

BOFINET Newsletter | April 2025

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PROCUREMENT OVERSIGHT UNIT: UPHOLDING TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY

Reputation and compliance: Adhering to legal and ethical standards protects BoFiNet’s reputation and ensures compliance with governance frameworks.

Equity and fairness: Equity and fairness in procurement ensure that all suppliers and bidders are treated impartially and given equal opportunities to compete. This means applying consistent criteria, transparent processes, and unbiased decision-making throughout the procurement cycle.

How BoFiNet ensures compliance:

Refilwe Dennis Procurement Oversight Manager At BoFiNet, procurement goes beyond simply acquiring goods and services—it is about doing so while upholding key principles such as integrity, fairness, and accountability. The Procurement Oversight Unit plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance to public procurement laws, making sure every process aligns with national legislation, regulatory requirements, and BoFiNet’s internal policies.

Robust procurement policies aligned with PPRA and other regulatory bodies Internal oversight through audit and risk management functions Ongoing training for staff involved in procurement Transparent reporting and supplier engagement processes

Why Procurement Compliance Is Important Transparency: We maintain open, welldocumented procurement procedures to build trust with stakeholders and the public.

Anti-Corruption: Strong oversight helps prevent unethical practices, ensuring fair competition and equal opportunity for suppliers.

Value for Money: BoFiNet strives to achieve the best outcomes by promoting competitive and cost-effective procurement as well as the effective, efficient, and economic use of resources.

BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

BoFiNet is committed to strengthening procurement systems, leveraging technology, and fostering a culture of integrity across all operations. Compliance is not a one-time task— it’s a continuous journey to ensure excellence and accountability in everything we do.

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DATA PROTECTION COMPLIANCE: EMPOWERING BOTSWANA’S DIGITAL FUTURE

In today’s digital economy, data is more than just information—it is a critical asset. With the coming into force of the Botswana Data Protection Act No. 32 of 2024​, organisations are now required to meet stringent data management standards or risk significant penalties. At the forefront of this national transformation stands Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), leading by example through proactive compliance measures and empowering businesses to do the same through world-class infrastructure such as the Digital Delta Data Centre (DDDC).

BoFiNet’s Approach to Data Protection Compliance As a data controller under the Act, BoFiNet has embraced its obligations to safeguard personal data across its operations. In line with global standards such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Botswana Data Protection Act requires organisations to implement "appropriate technical and organisational measures" to secure personal data​.

BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

BoFiNet has structured its compliance strategy around several key pillars: Technical Safeguards: BoFiNet’s IT Department ensures robust security by deploying encryption for data at rest and in transit, enforcing rolebased access controls (RBAC), implementing Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS/IPS), and maintaining disaster recovery plans​.

Organizstional Measures: Internal policies now mandate regular security audits, cyber incident simulations, and specialised data protection training across all departments, especially for system administrators and data handlers​.

Data Protection by Design: New IT systems are designed with privacy in mind from inception, ensuring that personal data collection is minimised, access is restricted, and user consent is respected​.

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DATA PROTECTION COMPLIANCE: EMPOWERING BOTSWANA’S DIGITAL FUTURE (continued) Why the Digital Delta Data Centre (DDDC) Matters for Compliance An important provision of the Botswana Data Protection Act is the requirement for data sovereignty—that is, a copy of personal data must be retained within Botswana when processing takes place outside the country​. This is where BoFiNet’s Digital Delta Data Centre (DDDC) becomes crucial. As Botswana’s premier carrierneutral, high-resilience facility, the DDDC enables businesses to meet compliance requirements by offering:

The Risk of Non-Compliance The consequences for failing to adhere to the Botswana Data Protection Act are significant.

According to the law, companies can face steep financial penalties, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust​. Globally, non-compliance with similar legislation such as the GDPR has led to fines amounting to millions of dollars for organisations that mishandled personal data (e.g., the €50 million fine levied against Google

by France’s CNIL authority in 2019.

BoFiNet’s strategic investments in technology, Local Data Hosting: Organisations can securely training, and local data infrastructure are store data within Botswana, satisfying data therefore not just operational upgrades—they sovereignty obligations without sacrificing speed, are deliberate steps to protect the organisation, performance, or security. its customers, and its partners from legal and operational risks.

Tier III Designed Infrastructure: With a Tier III Designed Infrastructure, the Digital Delta Data Helping Companies Stay Compliant Centre (DDDC) guarantees concurrent Beyond its internal compliance journey, BoFiNet maintainability and high uptime, ensuring business empowers other organisations in Botswana to continuity. This design ensures that any critical meet their regulatory obligations by offering: system can undergo maintenance without disrupting operations—providing clients with a By choosing BoFiNet as a technology partner, resilient, secure, and reliable environment to host companies not only gain access to Botswana’s their data and digital services. most reliable network infrastructure but also position themselves to thrive in a highly Cybersecurity-Ready Environment: With advanced regulated, data-driven economy. access controls, physical security, redundant power supplies, and strict operational policies, DDDC helps clients mitigate risks of data breaches —an essential factor under the Data Protection Act. Thus, the DDDC is not just a facility; it is a compliance enabler, providing the security, reliability, and accountability that modern businesses need.

BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

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COMPLETION OF THE BURS WI-FI HOTSPOTS PROJECT ENHANCES CONNECTIVITY

Mr Maitshego Ntshwarang Project Manager

BoFiNet recently completed the implementation of a Wi-Fi deployment project for Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS).

The project included the installation of public Wi-Fi services across the following stated offices nationwide; Francistown, Selibe Phikwe, Ramotswa, Maun, Lobatse, Tlokweng Border, Palapye, Gantsi, Jwaneng, Pioneer Border, Sikwane, Letlhakane, Ramatlabama, Ramokgwebana, Mamuno, Molepolole, and the BURS Headquarters.

BOFINET Newsletter |April 2025

This initiative aims to provide each office with a reliable 100Mbps high-speed internet connection, ensuring uninterrupted 24/7 accessibility. According to the Project Manager, Mr Maitshego Ntshwarang, “With a minimum guaranteed internet access speed of 100Mbps, adaptable to usage patterns, this solution prioritises quality service for BURS customers and its employees. Moreover, its inherent flexibility allows for traffic rerouting between offices, ensuring dynamic responsiveness to evolving demands. The Public Wi-Fi Hotspots have become the most developing service due to their enormous internet usage daily by the public. Wi-Fi hotspots are internet access points that allow the public to connect to a Wi-Fi network using their computer, smartphone or any device that supports Wi-Fi while away from the home or office network. These partnerships empower BURS clients and enable them to access digitalised services at the tip of their fingers while at the hotspot locations.

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RELIEF PROVIDED TO COMMUNITIES HIT BY RECENT FLOODING

In the wake of the recent devastating floods that have impacted many lives across Botswana, Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet), the leading telecommunications provider, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the nation through meaningful action and community engagement. As part of the initial response, BoFiNet made a significant donation of P100,000.00 to the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO). This contribution is aimed at assisting with emergency relief efforts including the provision of food, shelter, medical assistance, and other critical services for families affected by the floods.

Building on its commitment to community support, BoFiNet partnered with the Tlokweng District Council to tackle another urgent issue caused by the floods: blocked stormwater drainage systems. On Friday, April 4th, 2025, staff volunteers from BoFiNet and the Tlokweng District Council launched a community clean-up initiative aimed at unclogging stormwater drains and implementing preventive measures to reduce future flood risks. The Tlokweng District Council reported that approximately 290 households were affected by the floods. On this day, employees exchanged their laptops for shovels, ensuring that the culverts on Raseipati Road were cleared of grass and sand.

BOFINET Newsletter | April 2025

“We are proud of our employees who have dedicated their time and energy to this cause.

Today’s clean-up effort is not only about addressing a current issue but also about enhancing the resilience of our communities against future environmental challenges,” said Mr. Mpho Koolese, CEO of BoFiNet. Connectivity isn’t just about the internet, it’s about coming together to support those in need. At BoFiNet, we are proud to stand with our communities, because we are part of the community as well. By being involved in community development BoFiNet not only strengthens its reputation and customer loyalty but also helps build a thriving environment in which both we and the community can grow together sustainably.

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BOFINET IN PICTURES

Connecting with the region! BoFiNet staff engaging with delegates at our exhibition stall during the SATA Conference in Sandton— showcasing innovation, connectivity, and service excellence.

Team spirit in action! Our staff members rolled up their sleeves for a community service bush clearing project in Tlokweng Village.

BoFiNet's Acting CEO, Mr Mpho Koolese, on BTV discussing network performance during the recent floods.

BoFiNet was the connectivity partner for the SADC Sustainability Week, providing high speed wi-fi at the Grand Palm venue.

BOFINET Newsletter | April 2025

Love is in the air! Staff Member, Mr Kennedy Moses strikes a pose at our Valentine's Day booth, spreading smiles and sweet vibes around the office.

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