Infrastructure Projects

Despite the challenges presented by the COVID – 19 pandemic globally, BoFiNet continued to provide and operate world-class telecommunications backbone network infrastructure to drive connectivity and facilitate the economy, in line with its mandate.

This undeterred focus on the mandate by the company resulted in the growth and increase in connectivity, as illustrated by the infrastructure deployment projects undertaken countrywide during the pandemic.

GOVERNMENT-FUNDED PROJECTS

NATIONAL BACKBONE PROJECTS

The company endeavoured to ensure that the areas that were lagging behind in connectivity were connected. In this respect, the villages along the Kang - Hukuntsi, Kweneng West and Kgalagadi North routes were connected to the National backbone fibre network, covering a distance of 145km. The Kweneng West and Kgalagadi North villages are being connected, with completion targeted for 2021/22 financial year.

In addition to the above projects, a satellite Police Office located at Hukuntsi Kgotla was established through the social investment initiative of the contractors and BoFiNet. This entailed procurement, installation and furnishing of a portacabin, fibre reticulation, provision of connectivity infrastructure (comprising of cables, access points, switches, routers and other components) and furnishing of the office with desktop computers to enable complete functionality.

PUBLIC INTERNET NETWORKS (DIKGOTLA Wi-Fi)

The Department of Tribal Administration has mandated BoFiNet to deploy and install public Wi-Fi infrastructure in the Dikgotla across the country. The project is being rolled out in phases. During the year under review, Wi-Fi infrastructure was installed in fifty (50) selected villages of the Kgatleng, Southern and South-Eastern districts. As with other projects and initiatives, the project was affected by the COVID -19 travel restrictions locally and abroad thus affecting the delivery of essential material and implementation. More rollout of the Wi-Fi infrastructure will be done in the other areas across the country in the subsequent financial years.

Rationalisation and transfer of Government ICT infrastructure and assets from Water Utilities Corporation (WUC), Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) and Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) to BoFiNet:

In line with recommendations of the National Broadband Strategy, Cabinet authorised the transfer of Government ICT infrastructure assets from Water Utilities Corporation (WUC), Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) and Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) to BoFiNet. Specifically, the recommendations were as follows:

DBS Digital Terrestrial Network and Studios

i. Government should authorise the use of DBS excess capacity on the television and radio terrestrial network and studios to other broadcasters and content producers to make use of this valuable National asset, for the benefit of broadcasters, content producers, consumers, the Government and the economy in general.

ii. The DBS excess capacity on the television and radio terrestrial network and studios should be leased to broadcasters on non-discriminatory terms and conditions, fair and open principles.

iii. Government should consider consolidating the DBS television and radio terrestrial network assets with other

Government owned ICT assets under a single entity (BoFiNet).

BPC and WUC Telecommunications Network

Government should authorise the use of BPC and WUC excess dark fibre optic cables to (i) Telecoms. Operators to make use of this valuable National asset, increase the extent of the National backbone and access network, and provide redundancy for improved network security. (ii) The BPC and WUC excess dark fibres should be leased to the Telecoms operators on non-discriminatory terms and conditions, fair and open principles. (iii) Government should consider consolidating the BPC and WUC telecommunications assets with other Government owned ICT assets under a single entity (BoFiNet) for easier management and operations of such assets as well as availing the infrastructure to be shared with other ICT service providers.

During the period under review, BoFiNet engaged an independent management consultant to guide this process, who drafted and submitted the Project Initiation Documents (PIDs), due diligence reports (which covered each entity's human, legal, financial, and regulatory aspects) to the Ministries under which all the three entities fall. The consultants also produced interim reports (covering impacted processes, monetisation models, valuations and projected financial impact) and submitted them to the Ministry of Transport and Communications for review and approval.

BoFiNet FUNDED PROJECTS

LOCAL ACCESS PROJECTS

Fibre to the Home (FTTh)

In 2019, BoFiNet made the strategic decision to deploy FTTh to residential premises in a bid to improve access to high-capacity fibre-optic broadband infrastructure. The infrastructure is a passive optical access network, offered on a free access basis, whereby customers select their own service providers and can change them as and when they desire to. This provides fibre directly to the home, resulting in fast and stable connections for efficient ICT services. The project is being delivered in two phases, the first phase being direct – connect and the second phase being home pass.

The first phase directly connected 1,342 households, whereby a household had access but still needed to order internet service from a service provider. To date, 1,065 households have been connected for services via the FTTh infrastructure. The second phase, being home pass, commenced in June 2020, targeting over 16,000 households in 20 selected areas of Gaborone. Challenges faced in the rollout of the project include denial of access to households and consent for works outside homes by homeowners. In addition to these, the COVID-19 pandemic forced BoFiNet to reduce manpower on site to minimise risks of transmission, which slowed progress. Further delays were caused by the effects of the pandemic in the procurement process of essential materials from suppliers abroad.

Digital Delta Data Centre

The project commenced during the year under review, including simultaneous procurement of associated specialised packages that will ensure the building’s optimal performance. The construction works are planned to be completed in April 2022.