The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has confirmed that Starlink has applied for an operating license to launch its low-orbit satellite internet service in Botswana. When BW TechZone enquired on 5 September 2023, BOCRA had confirmed that they hadn't received an application yet.
"Starlink has indeed submitted an application to us and we are currently in the process of vetting that application," Aaron Nyelesi, director of corporate communications at BOCRA told BW TechZone.
Furthermore, according to Nyelesi, the regulator is currently not able to provide a timeline for when the application vetting process will be concluded. The information will be shared with the media and public as and when it becomes available.
According to Starlink's website, the satellite internet service is scheduled to launch in Botswana in Q3 2024.
However, with the application now having been received, it appears the launch might occur much sooner than the date specified by Starlink. In Zambia, the application vetting process took only three months. Assuming the same timeline for Botswana, the service might be available as soon as January 2024.
Starlink launched in Zambia last week and its application in Zimbabwe is also currently under review.