Mascom review
Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
Mascom suits people in its home market who want a line run by the network itself rather than a reseller or a bundled handset deal. Sim only and 5G are both listed as available and entry pricing starts at BWP 150, though roaming is paid and unused data is not carried over.
Key facts
- Best for
- Prepaid or contract mobile lines from a network operator, taken without a handset bundle.
- Seller type
- Network (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- SIM-only
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Price from
- BWP 150 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Reference plan prices
- MySurf Lite Silver: P250 per month, 40GB, prepaid 30-day | MySurf Bronze Unlimited: P395 per month, unlimited, prepaid 30-day | MyTime 1Hour: P10, time-based unlimited, prepaid (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Unlimited plan price
- BWP 395 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- 5G
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- EU roaming
- Paid (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Data rollover
- No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Network coverage
- 95% (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- BW (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Botswana (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Founded
- 1998 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Billing
- Contract, Prepaid
- Contract length
- 12, 24
- Official website
- mascom.bw
Pros and cons
Pros
- Entry pricing of BWP 150 sits well below the unlimited rate of BWP 395, so lighter users are not pushed onto a bigger bundle.
- Population coverage stands at 95%, which gives the network a solid footing in its home market.
- Sim only and 5G are both listed as yes, so you can bring your own handset onto the newer standard.
- Billing covers contract and prepaid, letting a prepaid top-up sit alongside a contract line for the same customer.
Cons
- Data rollover is listed as no, so data left unused at the end of the period is not carried forward.
- Roaming is paid, so time abroad is charged on top of the monthly plan.
- Support runs on email and phone only, which leaves few routes for a disputed charge.
- Contract lines hold for 12 and 24 months, a firmer commitment than the rolling billing yesss! lists alongside contract, rolling and prepaid.
Who it suits
- People in Mascom's home market who want a prepaid line they can top up and adjust from month to month.
- Users who want unlimited data from the operator itself, priced at BWP 395 on MySurf Bronze Unlimited.
- Buyers who prefer the operator to a third party, since Mascom sells as a network.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who wants a rolling monthly option, since yesss! lists contract, rolling and prepaid while Mascom offers contract and prepaid.
- Shoppers weighing entry prices across different currencies, since lonestar-cell-mtn lists a price from $0.20 and Mascom lists BWP 150.
- People who need unused data carried into the next month, since data rollover is listed as no here and getesa lists prepaid and contract as a separate billing setup to check.
Core features
Sim only is listed as yes, so a line can be taken without a handset and the phone can be brought from elsewhere. 5G is listed as yes as well, which lets newer devices use the newer radio standard. Population coverage stands at 95% in the home market, and that figure is the one to set against rivals when comparing mobile networks on reach. Data rollover is listed as no, so data left unused when a period ends does not move into the next one.
Plans and prices
Mascom's headline prepaid bundles are MySurf Lite Silver and MySurf Bronze Unlimited. The Lite plan starts at BWP 150, while the Bronze Unlimited plan runs at BWP 395. Both are listed as recurring monthly rates, so the figure a reader meets at entry is the figure that keeps running at renewal. The spread between the capped bundle and the unlimited bundle is the main decision here, and it depends on how much data a household actually uses.
The company behind it
Mascom is headquartered in Botswana and was founded 1998. Tariffs, coverage and support all sit with the company that runs the network rather than with an outside seller, so a reader comparing networks is comparing operators directly. Support runs on email and phone, which makes a phone line and email the stated routes for any question about a top-up or a contract.
How Mascom compares
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Where Mascom is available
- Available
- Botswana
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Mascom plan cost to join, and does the price change later?+
Entry pricing starts at BWP 150 on the MySurf Lite Silver prepaid bundle, and unlimited data sits higher at BWP 395 on MySurf Bronze Unlimited. Both are listed as recurring monthly rates, so the amount paid when joining is the amount that keeps running at renewal rather than a single promotional month.
Can I get a Mascom sim only line and bring my own phone?+
Sim only is listed as yes, so no handset is required. Billing covers contract and prepaid, and a prepaid line can be topped up without a fixed term, which suits anyone who wants monthly spend they can adjust rather than a set amount held for the length of a contract.
Does Mascom offer 5G, and how broad is its coverage?+
5G is listed as yes, so newer handsets can use it in the areas where the network has it in service. Population coverage stands at 95% in the home market, and that number is worth setting against rival networks before committing to a long contract line.
Does unused Mascom data roll over to the next period?+
Data rollover is listed as no, so anything left over when a period ends is lost. Light users who tend to finish their allowance early may find the capped bundle from BWP 150 a better fit than paying the unlimited rate of BWP 395 for data that expires unused.
Is roaming included in a Mascom monthly plan?+
Roaming is paid, so time spent abroad is charged rather than folded into the monthly price. A home bundle such as MySurf Lite Silver at BWP 150 covers domestic use, which means travel days need separate budget before a trip rather than being settled later.
How can I contact Mascom customer support?+
Support runs on email and phone, so a phone line and email are the stated routes. For a prepaid top-up or a contract line, keeping to the same channel helps when a billing question needs tracing, since those are the channels Mascom names for customer contact.
Who runs Mascom and where is it based?+
Mascom is headquartered in Botswana and was founded 1998. It operates as a network rather than a reseller, so tariffs and coverage come from the company running the network itself, and support on email and phone reaches that same operator.
Can I take a Mascom contract line as well as prepaid?+
Billing covers contract and prepaid, and contract lines run for 12 and 24 months, holding a monthly amount for that term. If a fixed commitment does not suit you, yesss! lists contract, rolling and prepaid, which adds a rolling option alongside contract and prepaid billing.
Sources
- mascom.bw checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Markets, Support channels
“steadily deployed its services across Botswana”
- mascom.bw/about-mascom-wirelesss checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Network coverage, Founded, Headquarters, Seller type
“reaches over 95% of the population”
- mascom.bw/myflexi-plan checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Contract length
“available on 6, 12 and 24 months contract duration”
- mascom.bw/mysurf-lite checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Price from, Reference plan prices
“MySurf Lite Bronze 20 Price (BWP) VAT incl 150”
- mascom.bw/mysurf-offers checked September 30, 2026
Backs: 5G
“The 5G technology offers much faster connection speeds”
- mascom.bw/mysurf-unlimited checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Data rollover, Unlimited plan price
“Unused Minutes, SMS or/and data carried forward to the next month? A: No”
- mascom.bw/roaming checked September 30, 2026
Backs: EU roaming
“Retail (BWP, incl VAT) Local P3.06”
- mascom.bw/tariffs checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Billing, SIM-only
“Prepaid Tariffs, Postpaid Tariffs”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
Mascom
Prepaid or contract mobile lines from a network operator, taken without a handset bundle.