Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import Market -- HS Code 8517 Trade Data & Price Trend (Apr 2025)

Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import (HS 8517) Key Takeaways

Botswana's Telecommunication Equipment Import market in April 2025 was dominated by high-value smartphones (39% share under HS 85171310), reflecting a premium product focus, but imports plummeted to $6.33 million amid U.S. tariff hikes. The hs code 8517 trade data reveals extreme supplier concentration, with 95% of value controlled by a few trading firms, while South Africa and China supplied over 60% of imports—highlighting supply chain vulnerability. This analysis covers April 2025 and is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import (HS 8517) Background

What is HS Code 8517?

HS Code 8517 covers telephone sets and communication equipment, including smartphones. These products are essential for global connectivity, driving demand across consumer electronics, enterprise IT, and telecommunications infrastructure sectors. Their trade volume remains significant due to continuous technological advancements and widespread adoption.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The United States increased additional duties on all imports from Botswana to 37% effective April 2025 [GlobalTradeAlert], impacting Botswana's telecommunication equipment import dynamics. Botswana's strategic position in this trade flow stems from its reliance on imported high-tech goods to support its growing digital economy. Monitoring hs code 8517 trade data is critical to assess how tariff changes affect supply chains and market access. Vigilance is needed to navigate shifting trade policies and maintain stable import channels for essential communication technologies.

Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import (HS 8517) Price Trend

Key Observations

Botswana's Telecommunication Equipment imports in April 2025 fell sharply to $6.33 million USD, with the unit price rising to $134.56 per kg. This represents a significant downturn from the previous month's performance.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 8517 value trend showed strong growth in the first quarter, climbing from $9.62 million in January to $13.91 million in March, but April's collapse aligns with the U.S. imposition of a 37% additional duty on all imports from Botswana effective April 9, 2025 [Global Trade Alert]. This policy shift likely disrupted supply chains and increased costs, causing importers to reduce volumes. The Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import trend typically reflects global tech demand cycles, and this volatility underscores how trade policy changes can swiftly impact market flows.

Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import (HS 8517) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data for April 2025, Botswana's import market for HS Code 8517 is dominated by high-value smartphones, specifically under sub-code 85171310 for telephone sets and smartphones, which holds a 39% value share. This product commands a unit price of $81.57 per unit, highlighting a specialization in premium finished goods. Extreme price anomalies, such as specialized communication apparatus with unit prices over $190, are present but isolated from the core market analysis.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous imports fall into three groups: finished telecommunication devices like smartphones and other phones with unit prices from $6 to $81, communication equipment such as switching apparatus at $94 per unit, and parts including aerials and other components priced between $21 and $26. This HS Code 8517 trade data reveals a structure centered on differentiated manufactured goods with varied quality grades, not fungible bulk commodities.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For importers, the concentration in high-value smartphones indicates strong pricing power for branded suppliers, while the range of product grades allows for targeting both premium and budget segments. Strategic focus should prioritize reliable sourcing of high-margin items and efficient logistics for parts to strengthen Botswana's HS Code 8517 import operations.

Table: Botswana HS Code 8517) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

Check Detailed HS Code 8517 Breakdown

Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import (HS 8517) Origin Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

Botswana's April 2025 imports of Telecommunication Equipment show a heavy reliance on two primary suppliers. South Africa is the dominant origin by import value, accounting for 33.25% of the total. China Mainland follows closely with a 29.27% value share. The disparity between value and quantity shares is critical; South Africa's value share (33.25%) is significantly higher than its quantity share (23.65%), indicating imports consist of higher-value, likely more advanced, finished goods. This pattern suggests Botswana's sourcing for HS Code 8517 prioritizes premium products from its nearest neighbor.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The import profile reveals three distinct clusters. The first is a High-Yield Cluster of South Africa and China, characterized by high value contributions from substantial volume, confirming their role as primary suppliers of finished telecommunication gear. The second is a High-Frequency Cluster, consisting solely of the United States. It provided 39.27% of all shipments but only 10.4% of the value, pointing to a pattern of many small, lower-value consignments, typical of aftermarket parts or just-in-time component deliveries. The final cluster includes partners like France and the UAE, which show high quantity shares relative to their value, suggesting shipments of heavier, potentially lower-unit-cost components or equipment.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's import strategy for Telecommunication Equipment is heavily concentrated, with over 60% of value coming from just two partners. This creates significant supply chain risk. The recent U.S. tariff increase to 37% on all imports from Botswana [Global Trade Alert] directly impacts the high-frequency trade lane, making continued sourcing from the U.S. economically challenging. For stability, diversifying the HS Code 8517 supply base by developing alternative sources for both finished products and components is a necessary strategic shift to mitigate these new trade barriers and reliance on a few key origins.

Table: Botswana Telecommunication Equipment (HS 8517) Top Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Origin Countries Profile

Botswana Telecommunication Equipment (HS 8517) Suppliers Analysis

Supplier Concentration and Dominance

In April 2025, the Botswana Telecommunication Equipment import market was heavily dominated by a small set of key suppliers. According to yTrade data, the most active and valuable group handled over 95% of the total import value through frequent, high-volume shipments. This cluster represented the typical trade flow, with nearly 600 shipments moving over 52,000 units worth 4.83 million dollars, indicating a core reliance on these partners for Botswana's supply of this product.

Strategic Supplier Clusters and Trade Role

The leading suppliers, such as Dunns and Transsision, point to an intermediated market where trading companies facilitate most transactions. Other clusters, like occasional high-value or frequent low-value shippers, played minor roles, adding little to the overall trade. The profile of HS code 8517 suppliers shows that Botswana's imports are channeled through established trading firms, rather than direct manufacturer relationships, which shapes the commercial dynamics.

Sourcing Strategy and Vulnerability

For Botswana importers, the heavy dependence on a few trading partners creates vulnerability to supply disruptions. Strategic efforts should focus on diversifying sources to reduce risk. The US tariff increase on all imports from Botswana, effective April 2025 [Global Trade Alert], underscores broader trade tensions that could indirectly affect import stability, urging a move toward more resilient sourcing models.

Table: Botswana Telecommunication Equipment (HS 8517) Top Suppliers List (Source: yTrade)

Check Full Telecommunication Equipment Supplier lists

Action Plan for Telecommunication Equipment Market Operation and Expansion

• Use hs code 8517 trade data to identify and qualify new suppliers in regions like the EU or India to diversify beyond the dominant South African and Chinese partners; this reduces vulnerability to supply shocks and new tariffs impacting the Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import market.
• Model total landed costs for U.S.-sourced components, factoring in the new 37% tariff, to immediately shift high-frequency, low-value purchases to alternative origins; this protects margins for the Telecommunication Equipment supply chain.
• Prioritize logistics for high-unit-cost smartphone imports from South Africa by securing preferential shipping lanes and bonded warehousing; this ensures the swift movement of high-margin goods that drive the core value of Botswana's HS Code 8517 trade.
• Analyze buyer frequency and volume patterns to negotiate better terms with core trading companies like Dunns; this leverages your position as a consistent importer to secure pricing advantages on finished goods.
• Develop a contingency plan for critical communication apparatus and parts by pre-identifying secondary suppliers for each product grade; this ensures operational continuity for the Telecommunication Equipment supply chain during geopolitical disruptions.

Take Action Now —— Explore Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import 2025 April?

The sharp decline in April 2025 imports to $6.33 million USD, following strong Q1 growth, is primarily due to the U.S. imposing a 37% tariff on all imports from Botswana, disrupting supply chains and increasing costs.

Q2. Who are the main origin countries of Botswana Telecommunication Equipment (HS Code 8517) 2025 April?

South Africa (33.25% value share) and China Mainland (29.27% value share) dominate Botswana’s imports, supplying high-value finished goods like smartphones and communication equipment.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across origin countries of Botswana Telecommunication Equipment Import?

Price differences stem from product specialization—South Africa and China supply premium smartphones (sub-code 85171310, $81.57/unit), while the U.S. ships lower-value parts in frequent, small consignments.

Q4. What should importers in Botswana focus on when buying Telecommunication Equipment?

Importers must diversify suppliers to reduce reliance on dominant trading firms like Dunns and Transsision, while securing high-margin smartphones and efficient logistics for components.

Q5. What does this Botswana Telecommunication Equipment import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers in South Africa and China benefit from stable demand for premium goods, while U.S. exporters face challenges due to tariffs, creating opportunities for alternative component suppliers.

Q6. How is Telecommunication Equipment typically used in this trade flow?

The imports are dominated by finished consumer goods like smartphones (39% value share) and specialized communication apparatus, reflecting Botswana’s demand for advanced telecom devices.