Namibia’s investments in telecommunications in the second quarter totalled N$260 million down from N$268 million in the previous first quarter of 2023, statistics provided by Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) reveal.
In a quarterly statistics newsletter, CRAN noted that the total investment within the telecommunications sector continues to remain subject to inherent fluctuations over time, influenced by the interplay of economic variables and industry dynamics that dictate the allocation of capital within the sector.
“The amount of money invested in telecommunications goes up and down because of how the economy is doing and the changes happening in the telecommunications industry itself. These factors determine where the money gets invested,” the Authority said.
In the same report, the Authority also said that during the second quarter of 2023, the number of active SIM cards decreased by 6%. This decline was mainly caused by a reduction in the number of Prepaid SIM card users.
“One reason for this drop could be the introduction of new Aweh and Jiva packages, which offer longer validity periods and potentially eliminate the need for customers to buy multiple SIM cards for different purposes. However, there was a 7% increase in mobile broadband usage. 74% of sim cards accessed the internet, resulting in a 9% increase from the preceding quarter,” CRAN said.
Fixed-line subscriptions continue to experience a downward trend.
Fixed internet subscriptions continue to show modest growth, with MetroNet subscriptions experiencing a significant 81% surge in the second quarter of 2023, despite the relatively low total number of subscribers. On the other hand, leased lines, other wireless and VoIP services experienced declines ranging from 4% to 14% during the reviewed quarter.
“The aggregate mobile minutes remained constant during the second quarter of 2023, despite varying patterns in minute distribution. Concurrently, fixed-line call minutes declined by 6%, while data usage recorded a notable 7% upswing.”
Despite an increase in data usage during the second quarter of 2023, there was a marginal decline in the revenue generated from data. Likewise, SMS revenue continued its gradual decline, while revenue from voice services saw a slight increase.
As of the end of Q2 of 2023, a total of 37 broadcasting licenses were issued.
In the second quarter of 2023, the total broadcasting sector recorded a 3% increase in revenue compared to the preceding quarter, Q1 2023. This surge can predominantly be attributed to a substantial 17% increase in advertisement revenue.
Pay TV subscriptions experienced an overall contraction of 4%, with digital terrestrial subscribers (Go TV) leading the decline with an 11% reduction.
During the second quarter of 2023, postal service activities maintained a state of relative stability, marked by a 14% increase in the utilisation of private bags.