• Botswana and five Southern African countries will harmonize mobile roaming tariffs.

• The initiative is part of the regional One Network Area (ONA) program.

• Authorities say the move should improve cross-border connectivity and lower communication costs.

Botswana has announced an initiative to reduce and harmonize mobile roaming charges with five Southern African countries as part of a regional effort to improve cross-border connectivity. The announcement was made on March 10, by the national telecommunications regulator, the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA).

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BOTSWANA COLLABORATES WITH FIVE SADC MEMBER STATES TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE AND HARMONISE INTERNATIONAL ROAMING TARIFFS. #????? pic.twitter.com/vQiOVn0MzN

— BOCRA (@BOCRAbw) March 10, 2026

The arrangement involves five other member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC): Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Together, these countries have agreed to implement the One Network Area (ONA) framework, a regional program designed to lower roaming costs for voice calls, SMS, and especially mobile data services.

In practical terms, telecom operators in the participating countries have revised their pricing structures to align tariffs applied to cross-border communications. According to BOCRA, the reductions range from 10% to 98.6%, depending on the type of service. The initiative has also led to the signing of new bilateral roaming agreements between operators that previously had none.

The move is part of a broader effort within the Southern African Development Community to reduce communication costs across the region. Authorities say lower roaming charges could facilitate economic exchanges, encourage the movement of people, and support the adoption of digital services. According to BOCRA’s statement, the initiative is expected to gradually expand to other SADC member states.

Adoni Conrad Quenum