MINISTRY OF WORKS, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION standards. It is furthermore assumed that the service provider will have to enter into a contract with the network operator regarding the interconnection. Again this should be a contractual matter, subject to dispute resolution with the Regulatory Authority. 8. 3.4 Packet switched data services should require a telecommunications licence. Such a licence should only be refused on technical grounds (that the proposed system is not acceptable) or if there are convincing reasons to believe that the operator is not serious or has the capacity to operate the services sustainably. 8.3.5 Electronic mail services would not require any licence. 8.3.6 Cellular telephone services would require a telecommunications licence. An application procedure should be put in place so that the first licence may be granted soon after the enactment of the new Telecommunications Act. Government will have to decide beforehand (and for a period of at least three years) how many licences the Authority may grant. It would not be in Botswana's interest to have too many operators involved, but more than one licence should be granted in order to introduce competition. The licences should be subject to conditions stipulated by the Regulatory Authority. This may involve negotiations with the applicants, but the basic conditions should be known beforehand. Transparency and predictability of the procedure must be safe-guarded. 8.3.7 Local network services, i e geographically restricted operations, with a right to connect to the national network would require a licence. The extent of such a licence needs to be discussed as in some cases it might be justified to grant an exclusive licence for a certain area in order to promote expansion of networks and services. 8.3.8 Paging services would require a telecommunications licence, but there is no reason to restrict the number of licences. 8.3.9 National telecommunications services i e services covering more than one local network would require a licence. As the granting of such licences would be a major threat to BTC, it is necessary to decide at Cabinet level to what extent such competition is desirable. In support of the universal service goal, competition in fixed networks i.e. duplication of infrastructure should initially be discouraged. The more of the existing 22 TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY FOR BOTSWANA