Bosso ke mang? (Botswana Market Share)

 Competition in the mobile industry have become so rife and possibly at the highest level since the arrival of the new kid on the blog BTC BeMobile. The question “Bosso ke mang?” pops up from time to time on mobile technology experts’ and analysers’ minds as we await the BTA annual report for 2012. From the start line in the late nineties, there were two mobile service providers, namely Mascom wirelss and Vista Mobile who were breathing neck to neck and consequently the latter was later bought off by Orange Botswana, leaving Mascom to be the leading service provider.  Mascom has since been in the frontline, finishing at 57% of market share in 2010 while Orange Botswana came second at 37% and expectedly the new comers BTC BeMobile coming last with only 6% according to BTA March 2010 report.

Since then there have been some pushing and shoving in one of the smallest market space in Africa, with BeMobile coming very fast on the outside lane, investing heavily in marketing in an attempt to beat the two mobile giants to the top.  Among other  market strategies, BeMobile struck a deal to sponsor the elite local football league for an amount of 2 million. Also notable was the introduction of free calls on weekends for prepaid customers who use airtime worth P20 during the week by BeMobile. This no doubt sent shivers down the spines of Mascom and Orange. This aggressive strategy paid off as BTC BeMobile emerged to have gained more than 100% of their previous market share in March 2011, finishing at 14% and Orange Botswana dropping 3% to finish at 34%. The biggest loser here was mascom, losing 5% of their previous market share and finishing at 52%. In this respect,  bosso ke mang? Ke BeMobile!

The leader in the pack has since responded by introducing arguably the most lucrative cup in the history of football in the country, Mascom Top 8. It would appear that Mascom might have taken the statistics seriously as it stepped up its social responsibilities, among them being the Kitsong Centres, MyStar and participation in sports code across sports divide. If one ask me to put my head on the block, I would predict an increase in Mascom market share when BTA release the verdict.