Christmas 16 years in the making

Friday, January 09, 2015

Ear to the ground: Nyelesi is keeping an eye on ICT trends. PIC KAGISO ONKATSWITSE

The cocks from February 1998 came to roost over the festive season- a full 16 years later - as many celebrated the first “online” Christmas and bid its traditional predecessor farewell. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI, traces the explosion in mobile phone services and their impact on society

The story goes that on a hot morning in February 1998, one of 25 phones in a large, open and new office rang and was answered by one John Motsie. The voice on the other end congratulated him, and the still fledgling company, Mascom, on being awarded one of the two licences to introduce cellular telephones into Botswana.

The charming anecdote continues by relating that Motsie “turned to the blackboard where the top 10 of over 100 things to do upon receipt of the licence were listed”.

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Christmas 16 years in the making

The cocks from February 1998 came to roost over the festive season- a full 16 years later - as many celebrated the first “online” Christmas and bid its traditional predecessor farewell. Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI, traces the explosion in mobile phone services and their impact on society