Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTC) today announced that BTC is doubling its capacity on Spacecom’s AMOS-7 communication satellite KU-beams.

With this new capacity, BTC is adding cellular backhaul and various long-distance communication services to enhance rural area connectivity.

AMOS-7’s KU-band beams enable mobility by providing high data rates for communications-on-the-move irrespective of location in country. Thus, BTC is able to offer e-learning, e-medicine, e-commerce and other e-government services to residents countrywide wherever they are, even when they are traveling.

The capacity also allows BTC to provide improved broadband service to industries operating outside major towns, for example tourism, agriculture, construction, banking and more; and to offer community WiFi hotspots, safer cities, smart farming and business continuity services throughout the country.

Spacecom’s Vertical Solutions Division is working closely with the company to assist in implementation of infrastructure for the new services.

According to Anthony Masunga, MD of BTC: “Once again we are working with Spacecom to bolster our business offerings. BTC is adding new and exciting services that will go far to reduce our country’s digital divide and offer citizens in previously underserved areas more options to communicate throughout Botswana and beyond. Satellite communication via AMOS-7 is facilitating our growth and fulfilling our purpose, which is to provide superior communication solutions to Botswana anywhere and everywhere to enable them to live connected.”

Spacecom CEO and president David Pollack says: “By the end of 2019, Spacecom will have three satellites servicing Africa: AMOS-7, AMOS-4 and AMOS-17. The ongoing cooperation with BTC signifies the success of our strategy marrying our satellite’s communications capabilities to the proficiency of our Vertical Solutions Division to deliver superior Turn-Key solutions with our partners.”