TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
A study by Statistics Botswana shows that 424 120 families in Botswana had access to internet in 2019 recording a 72.4 percent growth from the 245 941 families that were registered in 2014, a study by Statistics Botswana shows.
According to the Botswana Household Access To Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 2019 study (compiled by Statistics Botswana) while internet usage grew tremendously, access to the internet was most prevalent among households with the mobile internet type of service.
“This internet service was used by 91.1 percent of all households with access to the internet,” the study shows. “Fixed wireless was the next most prevalent internet connection type used by households, recording 9.4 percent of all households with internet access. The least internet access service was indicated within households that connected through the Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) and satellite.”
However, there are families that are still reluctant to using internet, this is after a total of 244,268 households reported to have no access to the internet in Botswana. According to the study, when asked to indicate their reasons for not having access to internet; costliness prevailed as the most common reason.
“The most common reason given for not having internet was that the cost of equipment used for internet was too high,” the study shows. “This constituting 29.1 percent of all households with no internet access. The second most common reason for not accessing the internet was lack of knowledge of the internet, at 35.8 percent of the total. Other reasons for not having access to the internet were given by households, the least being physical disability.”
By not being able to access the internet, it means that 244, 268 families are missing out on the life changing benefits of connectivity, from financial services to health and education, being brought about the increasing pace of innovation known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Universal affordable internet access is part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and governments, companies, local and international organizations, and members of the civil society are struggling to get more people online.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Transport and Communication, Thulaganyo Segokgo late last month told the media that plans are in place to reduce mobile internet prices. He said he has engaged in several meetings with the telecommunications regulator, Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority and BoFiNet-a wholesale provider of national telecommunications infrastructure to push for the reduction of mobile internet prices something that is expected to see internet usage in Botswana increase.