Botswana Telecommunication Corporation Limited (BTCL) has partnered with Vodafone to boost its strategic plan, which is premised on fixed and mobile and convergence (FMC) transformation.
Vodafone is a British company that is hailed as one of the world’s largest mobile operators. The company has a presence in 29 countries with equity interest as well as 53 partner networks or cooperation agreements worldwide. It is now the second largest Fixed Network Operator in UK.
Briefing the media this past week, BTCL Managing Director Paul Taylor said the corporation will benefit from access to Vodafone’s best practice and will be able to enhance its customer proposition in Botswana by using Vodafone’s products and services. He added that Vodafone’s multinational corporate customers will benefit from the addition of Botswana to their existing contracts for international managed services, while continuing to be serviced via a single point of contact.
“This strategic partnership with BTCL for Botswana will enable both companies to expand their presence in Africa and extend the reach of their products and services across the region. It will also deliver enhanced roaming benefits to our clients,” he stated.
Taylor said BTCL was optimistic that entering into a non-equity strategic partnership with a global player of Vodafone’s standing will prove to be profitable for the company.
“The partnership will allow us to better differentiate against competition, deliver innovative communications solutions for the benefit of our customers and visitors to Botswana. Vodafone, on the other hand, will leverage on BTCL extensive network coverage, ”┬ásaid Taylor.
He also gave an update on BTCL’s IPO which is targeted for the 2015/16 fiscal year. He added that Botswana is ranked as one of the top five countries in Africa for ICT development. Taylor stated beMOBILE is the third least expensive mobile operator in SADC adding that wholesale cost reductions have always been passed on to retail customers by BTCL.
“This is also an opportunity to develop staff through Vodafone secondees in BTCL and BTCL secondeess in Vodafone as well as other talent development initiatives,” he stated.
The BTCL MD believes Vodafone’s multinational corporate customers will benefit from the addition of Botswana to their existing contracts for internationally managed services.
