Botswana +267
Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) Plot 50671, Independence Avenue Private Bag 00495 GABORONE Botswana Tel: +267 395 7755 Fax: +267 395 7976 E-mail: info@bocra.org.bw URL: www.bocra.org.bw
Communication of 27.III.2025
The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), Gaborone, announces the updated national numbering plan of Botswana.
NATIONAL NUMBERING PLAN AND LIST OF NUMBERING RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
1. NATIONAL NUMBERING PLAN (NNP)
1.1. The National Numbering Plan is pictorially illustrated in Table 1.
Table 1 is the matrix for allocation of all numbers i.e., Fixed, Mobile, Short Codes, and other unique numbering resources. These are described in detail in the following sections.
Table 1: The National Numbering Plan
First digit | Second digit | |||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
0 | Int’l | Short international dialling in region | 0800 & 08XX |
| ||||||
1 | Short codes | |||||||||
2 | NG | Geographic numbering (Francistown region) | ||||||||
3 | NG | Geographic numbering (Gaborone) | ||||||||
4 | NG | Geographic numbering (Palapye region) | ||||||||
5 | NG | Geographic numbering (south-east region) | ||||||||
6 | NG | Geographic numbering (north and west regions) | ||||||||
7 | Mobile numbering | |||||||||
8 | Non-geographic numbering (M2M and Mobile) | |||||||||
9 | PRS | 91X | Reserved | 99X | ||||||
Int’l: international access code
NG: non-geographic numbering
PRS: premium rate services (non-geographic)
1.2. Unique Numbers and Short Code numbers
1.2.1. Level 0 - International Access and Freephone Numbers
Levels 0 is used for international access (00), the freephone numbers commencing with 0800 and shared calls were allocated the 08XX numbering range.
1.2.2. Levels 1 - Short Codes
Level 1 is used for the Short Codes. Short codes are short telephone numbers classified into three categories being Types A, B and C. The numbers occupy the 1XX, 1XXX and 1XXXX number blocks i.e., three or four- and five-digits long numbers. Refer to Table 2.
Table 2: Summary of Types of Short Codes
Short Code Types | Services and attributes | Length of number digits |
Type A | Nationally important services including emergency numbers | 3 digits long emergency services |
Type B | Across net services i.e., accessed through all public MNOs | 5 digits long: 16XXX, 17XXX, 18XX(X) and 19XXX number blocks. |
Type C | On-Net services and can have same number for different services within the network. | 10X(X), 11XX, 12X(X). |
1.2.3. Level *1 and *2 - USSD codes.
The levels *1 and *2 are used for the USSD codes which currently occupy the *1XX*XXX# and *2XX*XXX# numbering blocks.
1.2.4. Levels 1 and 9 - Emergency Numbers
Level 1 and part of level 9 are used for the emergency services. The emergency numbers occupy the 110-116, 99X and 91X numbering blocks. Reference is made to Table 3 below being a list of Emergency Service Providers.
Table 3: Assigned Emergency Numbers
Service Provider | Emergency Number |
All Emergencies | 112 |
ChildLine Botswana | 116 |
Emergency Assist | 991 |
MedRescue International | 992 |
Rescue One | 993 |
Boitekanelo Medical Services | 994 |
Okavango Air Rescue | 995 |
Fire | 998 |
Ambulance | 997 |
Police | 999 |
MedRescue International | 911 |
Medflex | 914 |
Life Flight Rescue | 929 |
Assisted Living Solutions (Proprietary) Limited | 990 |
Angels Medical Rescue | 910 |
1.2.5. Premium Rate Services
The Premium Rate Services (PRS) in level 09 remains unused and remains reserved for this service.
1.3. Fixed Numbers
1.3.1. Levels 2 to 6: Fixed numbers
Level 2 to 6 are the seven (7) digits long geographical numbers occupying the numbering range from 2XX XXXX to 6XX XXXX respectively providing services to fixed line services. Reference is made to Table 4 below.
Table 4: Fixed numbers by the geographical location
Geographical Area | Number range | Zone |
Francistown Area | 23X XXXX- 24X XXXX | 4 |
Selebi-Phikwe Area | 25X XXXX- 26X XXXX | 4 |
Letlhakane/Orapa Area | 275 XXXX- 29X XXXX | 4 |
Gaborone Area | 3XX XXXX | 1 |
Serowe Area | 45X XXXX- 46X XXXX | 3 |
Mahalapye Area | 47X XXXX | 3 |
Palapye Area | 48X XXXX- 49X XXXX | 3 |
Ramotswa/Lobatse Area | 52X XXXX- 53X XXXX | 2 |
Barolong/Ngwaketse Area | 54X XXXX- 55X XXXX | 2 |
Mochudi Area | 56X XXXX- 57X XXXX | 2 |
Jwaneng Area | 58X XXXX | 2 |
Molepolole Area | 59X XXXX | 2 |
Kasane Area | 60X XXXX- 62X XXXX | 5 |
Ghanzi/Kgalagadi Area | 63X XXXX- 65X XXXX | 5 |
Maun Area | 66X XXXX- 68X XXXX | 5 |
1.4. MOBILE AND VOIP NUMBERS
1.4.1. Level 7 and 8
Levels 7 and part of Level 8 are an eight digits long mobile number range from :
71 XXX XXX to 85 XXX XXX respectively.
1.5. MACHINE TO MACHINE COMMUNICATIONS (M2M)/IOT
1.5.1. Level 8
The M2M communications is a 10 digit long numbering range that occupies numbering range from
86 XXXX XXXX to 89 XXXX XXXX and supports the Internet of Things devices.
2. OTHER NUMBERING RESOURCES
2.1 There are other numbering resources that enable seamless communications services, and these are the known as Codes reference is made to table 5 below. These codes are listed as in the Recommendation ITU-T E.164.
Table 5: Instrumental Codes
Important Codes | Relevance and Use |
Country Code (CC) | 267 |
Mobile Country Code (MCC) | 652 |
National Signalling Point Codes | network interconnection purposes |
Data Network Interface Code (DNICs) | X25 data networking |
Network Colour Codes (NCC) | GSM base station identifiers |
Mobile Network Code (MNC) | Public networks |
International Signalling Point Code (ISPCs) | International signalling and it uses a 3-8-3 ITU format standard. |
2.2 Mobile Network Code
There are three (03) Mobile Network Code (MNC) used in the networks of the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and these are allocated in accordance with the Recommendation ITU-T E.212. Reference is made to table 6 below.
Table 6: Mobile Network Codes
Mobile Network Codes | Mobile Network Operator |
01 | Mascom Wireless |
02 | Orange Botswana |
04 | Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) |
2.3 The International Signalling Point Codes
These codes are used for the international signalling and are represented using a ITU 3-8-3 format. There are currently 6 spare ISPCs for Botswana. The following are assigned codes to Botswana for use as tabulated below.
Table 7: International Signalling Point Codes for Botswana
International Signalling Point Code | MNO Assigned |
6-104-0 | Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) |
6-104-1 | Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) |
6-104-2 | Mascom Wireless |
6-104-3 | Orange Botswana |
6-104-4 | Orange Botswana |
6-104-5 | Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) |
6-104-6 | Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) |
6-104-7 | Mascom Wireless |
6-105-0 | Mascom Wireless |
6-105-1 | Mascom Wireless |
6-105-2 | Spare |
6-105-3 | Spare |
6-105-4 | Spare |
6-105-5 | Spare |
6-105-6 | Spare |
6-105-7 | Spare |
3. NUMBERING ALLOCATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
3.1 National Number Allocations
3.1.1 The table 8 shows the eight (8) digits active mobile number allocations across all the three MNOs.
Table 8: Mobile Number Allocations as of March 2025
Service Provider | Mobile Number Range | Quantity Allocated |
Mascom Wireless | 71 000 000 – 71 999 999 74 000 000 – 74 299 999 74 500 000 – 74 799 999 75 400 000 – 75 699 999 75 900 000 – 75 999 999 76 000 000 – 76 299 999 76 600 000 – 76 799 999 77 000 000 – 77 199 999 77 600 000 – 77 799 999 77 800 000 – 77 899 999 79 230 000 – 79 279 999 | 1,000,000 300,000 300,000 300,000 100,000 300,000 200,000 200,000 200,000 100,000 50,000 |
Orange Botswana | 72 000 000 – 72 999 999 74 300 000 – 74 499 999 74 800 000 – 74 899 999 75 000 000 – 75 399 999 75 700 000 – 75 799 999 76 300 000 – 76 599 999 76 900 000 – 76 999 999 77 300 000 – 77 599 999 77 900 000 – 77 999 999 78 000 000 – 78 199 999 78 200 000 – 78 499 999 78 500 000 – 78 799 999 79 200 000 – 79 209 999 79 220 000 – 79 229 999 | 1,000,000 200,000 100,000 400,000 100,000 300,000 100,000 300,000 100,000 200,000 300,000 300,000 10,000 10,000 |
Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) | 73 000 000 – 73 999 999 74 900 000 – 74 999 999 75 800 000 – 75 899 999 76 800 000 – 76 899 999 77 200 000 – 77 299 999 79 210 000 – 79 219 999 | 1,000,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 10,000 |
Virtual Business Network Services | 79 100 000 – 79 100 999 | 1,000 |
AfriTel | 79 101 000 – 79 101 999 | 1,000 |
Global Broadband Solutions | 79 102 000 – 79 102 999 | 1,000 |
Business Solutions Consultants | 79 103 000 – 79 103 999 | 1,000 |
Dimension Data | 79 104 000 – 79 104 999 | 1,000 |
OPQ Net | 79 105 000 – 79 105 999 | 1,000 |
Mega Internet | 79 106 000 – 79 106 999 | 1,000 |
Stature (OpenVoice) | 79 107 000 – 79 107 999 79 113 000 – 79 113 999 | 2,000 |
Tsagae Communications | 79 108 000 – 79 108 999 | 1,000 |
MicroTeck Enterprises | 79 109 000 – 79 109 999 | 1,000 |
Microla Botswana | 79 110 000 – 79 110 999 | 1,000 |
Internet Options Botswana | 79 111 000 – 79 111 999 | 1,000 |
FDI Foneworx | 79 112 000 – 79 112 999 | 1,000 |
MTN Business Solutions | 79 114 000 – 79 114 999 | 1,000 |
Abari Communications | 79 115 000 – 79 115 999 | 1,000 |
Mission Communications | 79 116 000 – 79 116 999 | 1,000 |
Cene (Pty) Ltd t/a Cene Media | 79 117 000 – 79 117 999 | 1,000 |
Paratus Africa | 79 118 000 – 79 118 999 | 1,000 |
Blue Pearl Communications T/A ROI | 79 119 000 – 79 119 999 | 1,000 |
Dapit Ventures T/A GCSat Botswana | 79 120 000 – 79 120 999 | 1,000 |
Bantu Telecom | 79 121 000 – 79 121 999 | 1,000 |
Paratus Africa | 79 122 000 – 79 123 999 | 2,000 |
Netway Pty Ltd | 79 124 000 – 79 125 999 | 2,000 |
Apicom Pty Ltd | 79 126 000 – 79 126 999 | 1,000 |
Devaki Botswana | 79 127 000 – 79 127 999 79 134 000 – 79 138 999 | 1,000 5,000 |
Liquid Intelligent Technologies | 79 128 000 – 79 128 999 | 1,000 |
Par Telecommunication (Pty) Ltd | 79 129 000 – 79 133 999 | 5,000 |
3.1.2 The table 9 below shows the ten (10) number digits active Machine-to-Machine number allocations:
Table 9: M2M Number Allocations as of March 2025
Service Provider | M2M Number range | Quantity Allocated |
Orange Botswana | 89 0000 0000 - 89 0000 9999 89 0001 0000 - 89 0001 9999 89 0002 0000 - 89 0002 9999 89 0003 0000 - 89 0003 9999 89 0004 0000 - 89 0004 9999 89 0018 0000 - 89 0018 9999 89 0019 0000 - 89 0019 9999 89 0020 0000 - 89 0020 9999 89 0021 0000 - 89 0021 9999 89 0022 0000 - 89 0022 9999 89 0023 0000 - 89 0023 9999 89 0024 0000 - 89 0024 9999 89 0025 0000 - 89 0025 9999 89 0026 0000 - 89 0026 9999 89 0027 0000 - 89 0027 9999 89 0028 0000 - 89 0028 9999 | 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 |
Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) | 89 0005 0000 - 89 0005 9999 89 0006 0000 - 89 0006 9999 89 0007 0000 - 89 0007 9999 89 0008 0000 - 89 0008 9999 89 0009 0000 - 89 0009 9999 89 0069 0000 - 89 0069 9999 89 0029 0000 - 89 0029 9999 89 0030 0000 - 89 0030 9999 89 0031 0000 - 89 0031 9999 | 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 |
Mascom Wireless | 89 0010 0000 - 89 0010 9999 89 0011 0000 - 89 0011 9999 89 0012 0000 - 89 0012 9999 89 0013 0000 - 89 0013 9999 89 0014 0000 - 89 0014 9999 89 0015 0000 - 89 0015 9999 89 0016 0000 - 89 0016 9999 89 0017 0000 - 89 0017 9999 | 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 |
Note ALL Allocations made in blocks of 10,000 numbers
3.1.3 The table 10 below shows the seven (7) number digits active Fixed number allocations:
Table 10: Fixed Number Allocations as of March 2025
Number Blocks | Orange Botswana | Mascom Wireless | Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL) |
2XX XXXX | - | 60,000 | 300,000 |
3XX XXXX | - | 60,000 | 500,000 |
4XX XXXX | - | 30,000 | 300,000 |
5XX XXXX | - | 60,000 | 500,000 |
6XX XXXX | - | 30,000 | 300,000 |
Sub-Total | - | 240,000 | 1,900,000 |
4. CONCLUSION
4.1 The National Numbering Plan is a way of ensuring that:
4.1.1 The limited numbering resources are used prudently and efficiently and this allows for effective number management. This exercise enables customers to have access to services using numbers without undue expense and inconvenience, and to ensure that all service providers have the numbering resources they need to compete in the rapidly growing telecommunications marketplace with the associated proliferation of new telecommunications technologies and services; and
4.1.2 There is equity, efficiency, and transparency in the allocation of numbers as this is done objectively within the confines of the CRA Act of 2012.