Connectivity Providers Database

Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 22:16:48 +0200 From: Lawrence Mashungwa <lawm@4site.bw> To: mlizarza <mlizarza@darkwing.uoregon.edu> Cc: Randy Bush <Randy@nsrc.org>, Steven Huter <sghuter@nsrc.org> Subject: Re: Botswana and the state of the Internet Hi all. > 1) Could you please provide a brief technical description of Botswana's > external connectivity to the Internet - including upstream provider(s), > international bandwidth of the link(s), etc. ? > ISP in BW Link Type Bandwidth Upstream ISP POP location(s) ========= =========== =========== ================ =============== BTC Sat 8x2M Teleglobe All over country " Sat 2M Sprint " " Fibre 2M I.S (ZA) " UUNET Sat 2M UUSAT/NET Major cities/towns " Fibre 2x2M UUNET SA (ZA) " 2nd tier ISPs (Botswana) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ USKO Leased 384Kb/s BTC VPOPs from BTC BOTSNET Leased 1M BTC " Mega Leased 128Kb/s BTC Gaborone AFRITEL Wireless X UUNET Gilat VSAT system Notes: BTC = Botswana Telecommunications Corporation, Still state monopoly except for International Data gateways. IS = Internet Solutions (South Africa) BOTSNET = a 100% wholly owned susbsidiary of BTC BTA = Botswana Telecommunications Authority (Regulatory Body) USKO = formely IBIS (on NSRC website), changed hands 1001 times... AFRITEL = AFRICA TELECOMMUNICATIONS Bandwith usage strategies: BTC, using roughly 55% of bandwidth, guess its buy as much as possible. UUNET, increase bandwidth as and when needed Corporate leased market share: UUNET 45% BTC 45% OTHERS 10% Dialup numbers: BOTSNET 4000 USKO 2000 MEGA 1000 UUNET 1000 DNS issues: BTC is owner of .bw, no automated way to register, but email can be sent to patiencet@btc.bw Roughly 1000 domains under bw registered (not all active though). BTC have now setup sub-domains org,ac,co and .bw 2)Please also list the URLs for each ISP with external connectivity BTC = www.btc.bw UUNET = www.uunet.co.bw USKO = www.usko.bw AFRITEL = www.afritel.co.za (page under construction, email francois@afritel.co.za) BOTSNET = www.botsnet.bw MEGA = www.mega.bw BTA = www.bta.org.bw > 3) Can you please provide a short summary of the academic/research network in > Botswana? There is a few academic institutes connected to the 'net. Notably the University of Botswana (www.ub.bw) Botswana technology Center (www.botec.bw) Botswana Institute of Development Policy Analysis (BIDPA www.bidpa.bw) Other notables are www.sadc.int (Southern African Development Agency) A comprehensive listing of Botswana related sites can be seen www.info.bw (usko). I've been involved with a few people trying to setup independent research network, nothing achieved yet at this stage. Hope that helps, Thanx Lawrence