Source: Orange |

Orange launches its commercial 5G network in Botswana, the first Orange country in Africa to launch 5G technology

This 5G launch will further support innovation and digital inclusion in the country

The subscription of Prepaid offers is accessible through Orange Yame App, USSD and Card to Wallet

GABORONE, Botswana, November 11, 2022/APO Group/ --

Orange Botswana is the first Orange (www.Orange.com) affiliate in Africa to launch 5G commercially; The 5G network will be available in greater Gaborone and Francistown, covering 30% of the population from the 11th November 2022; New healthcare, education and security services will be enabled in the country by the 5G technology.

Orange Botswana is the first Orange affiliate to launch 5G, with a coverage of 30% of the population, including greater Gaborone and Francistown. Other cities will follow in early 2023.

It follows the launch of Botswana’s first Orange Digital Centre this morning, which will help bridge the digital divide and prepare Batswana youth for employment in a blossoming digital ecosystem.

This 5G launch will further support innovation and digital inclusion in the country, putting Botswana at the forefront of 5G in Africa and is closely aligned with the government’s ambition to leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) innovation towards transforming Botswana into a knowledge-based economy, leaving no-one behind.

5G, with its ultra-high speed and low latency, will support new disruptive services such as e-health, connected vehicles, connected cities, real-time gaming, smart homes and learning through VR and augmented reality. It offers a new world of possibilities to companies, innovators and society at large.

Orange Botswana has partnered with MRI Botswana to create a “Connected Ambulance” project that will allow Doctors to guide Paramedics through life saving procedures on their way to hospitals. This telemedicine intervention will change lives and would not have been possible without 5G. Orange Botswana is looking forward to collaborating with government and enterprises to implement 5G-based use cases.

Orange Botswana introduces new 5G fixed broadband services and mobile data bundles. The offers are available for residential customers, small and medium enterprises and include value added services. The fixed offers are available from15Mbps for Prepaid and from 20Mbps for Postpaid with a monthly rental from BWP 699 (€53 per month). The subscription of Prepaid offers is accessible through Orange Yame App, USSD and Card to Wallet.

After this very first commercial launch of its 5G services in Botswana, Orange Middle East and Africa intends to maintain its efforts in getting the latest and most advanced technologies in all its MEA countries adding value to local economies and continuously bridging the digital gap within the African populations.

In other countries, regulation boards still have not officially initiated the 5G licenses attribution process although many of them, such as in Cote d’Ivoire showed a clear will to make the 5G spectrum available in 2023. Meanwhile, Orange is collaborating with several regulatory bodies to help build a 5G deployment roadmap while testing the technology and developing use cases that fit with the local populations’ need.

Jerôme HENIQUE, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, says: “The launch of 5G technology in Botswana will allow us to scale-up this technology and gain experience for other Orange countries across Africa. The benefits and potential impact of this are promising. It will help promote Africa’s digital inclusion, resulting in socio-economic growth and job creation. It is also ensuring Africa’s skills development on digital management tools and is in line with the ambitions of the African Union “Digital Transformation for Africa (2022 – 2030)”. It begins here and now, in Botswana.”

Nene MAIGA, CEO of Orange Botswana says: “At Orange Botswana, we are excited to be bringing in a new technology that will allow economic players to discover new possibilities enabled by 5G, and the way it could positively transform their daily activities. 5G connectivity is an incredible opportunity for businesses and the government, who are eager to take their operations to the next level. It is going to change how customers experience connectivity.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Orange.

Press contacts:
Orange Botswana
Ratang Motladiile
ratang.motladiile@orange.com
+267 3693709

Mandisa Diako
mandisa.diako@orange.com
+267 3693788

Orange Middle East and Africa
Khadija Komara
khadija.komara@orange.com
+33 6 76 45 96 18

Anita Oyono
anita.oyono@orange.com
+33 6 75 02 03 79

About Orange Botswana:
Orange Botswana is one of the leading multinational mobile network operators in Botswana having served Botswana since 1998. The organization started operating as Vista Cellular and later rebranded to Orange in 2003. It forms part of the International Orange Group based in France which operates in 26 countries across the world.

Its primary focus is to provide mobile telephony services, internet connectivity and more recently, financial solutions via Orange Money, a mobile money service thereby broadening its scope beyond mobile networks.

Orange Botswana’s strategy or ambition is to take market leadership in mobile and fixed broadband through an unmatched customer experience, becoming the preferred financial and multi services provider as well as a key player for innovation in digital inclusion recognized by the Government and Botswana.

About Orange Middle East and Africa:
Orange is present in 18 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has 142 million customers at 30 September 2022. With 6.4 billion euros of revenues in 2021, Orange MEA is the first growth area in the Orange group. Orange Money, its flagship mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has more than 70 million customers. Orange, multi-services operator, key partner of the digital transformation provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.

About Orange:
Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 42.5 billion euros in 2021 and 136,500 employees worldwide at 30 September 2022, including 75,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 286 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2022, including 240 million mobile customers and 24 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies under the brand Orange Business Services. In December 2019, the Group presented its "Engage 2025" strategic plan, which, guided by social and environmental accountability, aims to reinvent its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the Group will be an attractive and responsible employer, adapted to emerging professions.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

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