Lesotho

in preparation

Basics
Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is an enclaved, landlocked country completely surrounded by South Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 in size and has a population slightly over two million.

TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that Vodacom is Lesotho’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, with a total user base of 1.399 million at the end of March 2016, well ahead of sole rival Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) with around 512,000 cellular customers at the same date.

no registration: The Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) is examining the potential introduction of SIM card registration in the country, in a bid to curb crime committed using mobile phones. ‘The regulator in Lesotho has recently commenced engagement with the sector on the proposed introduction of customer registration regulations in that country,’ ITWeb quoted Peter Moyo, chairman of South Africa-based telecoms firm Vodacom Group, as saying. Lesotho remains one of only a handful of African countries without any form of SIM registration legislation in place. Vodacom has also revealed that its local unit’s mobile service licence was extended on 1 June 2016 for a further 20 years.

2015: Vodacom Lesotho, the country’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, has finished rolling out 3G across its entire wireless network, reports Pubic Eye News, citing company executive Johnny Dos Santos. As such, around 94% of the population are now able to access Vodacom’s 3G data services. ‘

2014: Vodacom Lesotho, the country’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, has launched a 4G LTE network, reports the Sunday Express. The high speed mobile broadband service, which went live on 2 October, is available on a pre- and post-paid basis, with customers able to opt for an indoor modem or a mobile Wi-Fi modem. Johnny Dos Santos, Vodacom’s executive head of Enterprise and Consumer Business, said: ‘The lightning fast speeds offered by the LTE network will revolutionise the internet experience for Basotho everywhere, whether at home or at the office, through the affordable packages that we have put in place, both for those wishing to connect on a pre-paid or post-paid basis.’ TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that South Africa-based Vodacom was awarded a licence to operate mobile services in Lesotho in June 1995 and went on to launch commercial GSM-900 services in May 1996. The operator said it acquired 2×15MHz of 800MHz spectrum – suitable for the roll out of 4G services – in October 2013.

2 networks: Telecom services in Lesotho are managed by a privatised national operator, Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL). There is effective competition in the mobile sector between South Africa-based Vodacom and ETL. 2G is on 900 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz and 4G/LTE started on Vodacom on 800 MHz.
 * Vodacom
 * Econet, Ezi-Cel, by ETL

Although landlocked, Lesotho has benefited from connectivity to the several submarine fibre optic cables which land on African east and west coasts. These quadrupled international bandwidth in 2012, and contributed to lower end-user prices.

You can buy a Vodacom or Ezicel Buddie pay as you go sim card for under LSL 30 in Maseru — worthwhile if you are staying for a while. Cellphones are available for hire in Maseru. Lesotho uses GSM900. If you have a South African Vodacom Sim Card, you can use it in Lesotho only on the Vodacom network. Be sure to enable roaming.

The currency of this article is Loti (plural: Maloti; LSL, M) the currency of the Kingdom of Lesotho. It's pegged to the South African rand (ZAR) on a 1:1 basis.

Vodacom
coverage map: http://www.vodacom.co.ls/ls-personal/help-me/our-footprint/network-coverage

2/3 of all customers. bettern network

2G up to EDGE on 900 MHz, 3G up to HSPA on 2100 MHz and 4G/LTE on 800 MHz (band 20).

You can buy a Vodacom Lesotho sim card from any of our Vodacom Centres nationwide.

http://www.vodacom.co.ls/ls-personal/help-me/our-footprint/our-vodacom-centres

Insert your SIM card into your cellphone Dial 100 and then follow the voice prompts You can buy a voucher at any Vodacom approved outlet. The airtime value and PIN will be printed on the voucher

• Till Slip Voucher – You can buy a till slip voucher at any retailer displaying the Vodacom logo. The recharge value and pin will be printed on your slip

How do I Check balance?

• Dial *100# SEND or dial *111# SEND select 1 for balance default tariff is the Prepaid per Second, but customers can migrate to other tariffs using the Free Change service, via self-service *111#
 * Vodacom Lesotho has three prepaid tariff plans: Prepaid per Second, Prepaid Anytime and Prepaid Bua.
 * The

Out of bundle M1.25  on all three plans

http://www.vodacom.co.ls/ls-personal/offers/prepaid/data-bundles/daily-data-bundles
 * APN: internet
 * Website: http://www.vodacom.co.ls

Econet
Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) came into being following the merger between Telecom Lesotho and Econet Ezi ~ Cel Lesotho in April 2008. partly state-owned. The merger of the two companies allowed ETL to provide both fixed and mobile services under one license.

2G up to EDGE on 900 MHz, 3G up to HDSPA on 2100 MHz, only mulling about 4G/LTE so far.

Prepaid lines Buddie and Libertie. M 50 recharge.

Recharge: Dial *133*Pin# and send  check balance: Dial *134# and send.

Transfer airtime: Dial *125*amount*number of recipient# e.g. To transfer M50 to 6xxxxxxx dial *125*50*6xxxxxxx # send

Bundles see Facebook pics

* 100#, daily, weekly, monthly

http://www.etl.co.ls