The Postal Sector experienced a noteworthy drop in the rental of letterboxes in the fourth quarter of 2022, with only 38% currently rented, representing a substantial decline of 29% from third quarter of 2022.
Additionally, there is a decrease of 8% in the number of occupied private bags during the same period.
This is due to more customers changing to digital mail, said Emilia Nghikembua, Chief Executive Officer of CRAN while presenting the Authority’s quarterly statistics for the period 01 October to 31 December 2022.
The report highlights mobile traffic trends, telecommunication revenue, investment, broadcasting licenses, rental of postal letterboxes, and the result of the Broadcasting and Media Survey for 2022.
Nghikembua says that “the number of active SIM cards for mobile subscribers increased slightly by 3% during Q4 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, whereas fixed internet subscriptions showed significant growth ranging from 22% to 89% compared to the same period in 2021, indicating a growing preference for higher-speed internet services, potentially driven by increasing reliance on digital technologies for work and leisure activities.”
Subscriptions for lower-speed internet connections declined.
The traffic data for Q4 2022 reveals a slight overall increase in mobile minutes, with a growth rate ranging from 4% to 29% compared to the same period in the previous year. There has, however, been a decline in international mobile minutes, potentially driven using over-the-top (OTT) services for voice communication. Mobile data usage has increased by 8%, while the number of SMS messages sent remained constant during the review period, states Nghikembua.
Fixed-line outgoing minutes experienced a decline of 8%, consistent with the trend of decreased demand for fixed-line subscriptions for voice communication and a preference for data-driven services.
Nghikembua adds that revenue generated from data in the telecommunications sector, remains the most profitable segment, while SMS revenue is typically the least profitable.
“Total investment in the telecommunications sector declined during Q4 2022, which in the long run will result in poorer service quality due to congestion in some areas,” says Nghikembua.
At the end of Q4 in 2022, the total number of active broadcasting licenses issued amounted to 37. The broadcasting sector experienced a 6% growth in revenue during Q4 2022 in comparison to the same quarter the previous year. Total revenue for advertisements increased significantly at 35%, compared to Q4 2021, but accounted for only 6% of the total revenue generated by Broadcasters. Digital mobile and terrestrial subscriptions experienced a significant decline of 22% and 33%, respectively, during Q4 2022 as compared to the same period in 2021. However, DSTV subscriptions observed a minimal decline of only 1%.
“Broadcasting and media play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and informing people about current events. With the rise of digital media and mobile technology, people have access to a vast array of news and messaging apps at their fingertips.”
A survey, for Namibia conducted by Vision Africa Research Services in 2022, uncovered people’s media consumption habits, identifying radio as the preferred medium for receiving news among consumers, followed by the Internet and television. Most radio listeners tune in during the hours of 5 AM to 8 AM. According to the survey results, 97% of respondents reported using WhatsApp as their preferred instant messaging application, and 89% expressed a preference for abstaining from online purchases.