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Engineering Services Department The Engineering Services department is responsible for radio communications including frequency spectrum management, equipment type approval and ensuring that telecommunication standards are implemented. Functions Type Approval BTA's mandate to type approve equipment is provided in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the Telecommunication Regulations of 1997. Under the Act, BTA's type approval activities are designed to protect the public network. Type approval is required for switching equipment, VSAT and fixed line handsets. Mobile handsets are exempted. The Act does not cover mobile networks. BTA will propose that the Act be amended to cover type approval for mobile networks. BTA also does not require type approval for network equipment used by licensed operators. Because the purpose of BTA's type approval activities is to protect the public network, BTA does not expect operators would risk doing harm to the network. Type approval fees are levied as a one-time fee and cost an average of P 1000.00 (approximately USD 175). Because there are no test facilities in Botswana, BTA accepts equipment that has been approved in any administration in Region 1 of the ITU (Europe and Africa). BTA type approved 56 different kinds of terminal equipment in 1998-1999 Quality of service The operators' licenses include quality of service (QoS) requirements, but these are not currently well defined or enforced. QoS is also not covered in the 1997 Telecommunication Regulations. BTA proposes that QoS issues be codified, making QoS a statutory or regulatory obligation that service providers will be required to perform Botswana National Numbering Plan BTA's numbering functions are specified in the Telecommunications Act. BTA instituted a new numbering scheme to systematically, but gradually replace the current six-digit numbering scheme for fixed-line services to a seven-digit scheme. In July 2001, the first village implemented the 7-digit scheme. BTA plans to implement the numbering change over two years in order to give itself time to respond to any problems or errors. It has published a schedule for the changeover up through March 2002. Gaborone will be the last locale to implement the numbering change. Incumbent operator BTC allocates fixed-line numbers to its own subscribers. BTA performs all mobile number allocation. All mobile numbers start with the digit "7" and are eight digits long. BTA's frequency planning management functions are specified in the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Following the tender for the development of the national radio frequency plan issued by BTA in November 1999, Intech AS of Norway was awarded the tender. The Intech consultants began working on the project one year later. BTA issued a press release and published notices in the paper to solicit comments on the national frequency plan. BTA also notified major users, all operators, radio stations and other concerned parties about the plan. The Intech consultants interviewed stakeholders, collected data in Botswana and visited the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to help develop the Botswana radio frequency plan. BTA is also preparing a tender to provide an automated frequency management system to monitor spectrum interference. Once the tender is completed, BTA will acquire monitoring equipment to be used nation wide. BTA realizes that it will be required to recruit additional staff to perform these tasks. In the first six months after BTA was established, BTC continued to perform frequency management. BTA sent applications for frequency allocation to BTC, and the incumbent returned the request to BTA for verification. After six months, BTA took over responsibility for frequency allocation, in accordance with the Telecommunications Act. BTC was reluctant to relinquish this task because it had been able to acquire additional frequency for its own use. BTC used a simple card system to note spectrum allocations. BTA has created a frequency database. Summarised resposibility
For
more information contact the department of Engineering Services
info@bta.org.bw
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