Proposed Overhead Fibre-WiMAX IEEE 802.16e hybrid Network Framework Deployment for Last-mile Connectivity and Access: Botswana

The government has put in place ICT policies, institutional frameworks and handsomely invested in fibre infrastructure development to provide seamless broadband services and meet outlined national goals. Many people cannot afford broadband services despite substantive investments and experience network disparities and inefficient services, including non-existent E-gov services. Furthermore, the government has adopted a “Wi-Fi” hot spot initiative to offset connectivity, and access is not enough and is likely to exacerbate the challenges. Despite efforts the government and other stakeholders tried, it seems another project that wasted public resources as more and more resources were invested, yet no solution in sight to tackle connectivity and access challenges. Using the survey approach, interviews, questionnaires and review of relevant literature, including quantitative data analysis, results indicate that most areas along the national ICT installations have not connected to either 3G or 4G networks. Amongst many factors for lack of connectivity is the lack of points of presence (links). In contrast, people in urban areas experience high-speed internet services. Therefore this study presents a hybrid overhead fibre- WiMAX IEEE802.16e network and proposes an independent company to manage the national connectivity and access project. Overhead, fibre-WiMAX IEEE802.16e hybrid has potential and is cheaper than “links” to address connectivity, access, and network challenges in urban and rural areas.