This article explored the key issues in the development of mobile telephony in
Botswana from 1998 to 2011. The study has shown that as a developing country,
Botswana has done well to develop and structurally position the mobile telephony
sector for the benefit of its citizens. This is evidenced by the high rate of subscription
of mobile telephony countrywide and continuous attempts by the government to
network under-served communities. However, the sector has been left in the hands of
a quasi-governmental corporation and private individual businessmen. In addition, there
is serious competition for subscribers amongst network operators, uneven diffusion
of network technologies and inadequate communication signal in some remote areas.
Therefore, this study argues for additional reforms, with a view to strengthening and
positioning the sector for effective use in order to deliver social services and increase
diversification of the economy.