The Namibian telecommunications sector recorded data revenue exceeding N$800 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to the latest Quarterly Statistics Bulletin from the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN).
The report, covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 2024, highlights that data-driven services remained the primary revenue generator. However, SMS and voice revenues fluctuated, with a decline recorded in the fourth quarter of the year.
CRAN’s Executive for Communication and Consumer Relations, Mufaro Nesongano, noted that total mobile outgoing minutes increased by 4%, marking a slowdown from the 8% growth recorded in the previous quarter.
“Meanwhile, SMS volumes decreased by 6%, marking a reversal from the previous upward trend. In contrast, mobile data consumption surged by 9%, indicating a shift among consumers towards data-driven communication instead of traditional SMS,” Nesongano said.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector maintained its growth momentum, recording a 6% increase in revenue. Overall, licensees generated N$1.6 billion in revenue, with 70% allocated to operating expenses.
The report further details key market metrics, including subscriber identity module (SIM) usage for internet access, fixed internet subscriptions, mobile outgoing minutes, ICT revenue, pay-TV subscriptions, and postal box usage.
Nesongano stated that the total number of active SIM cards increased by 3%, mainly due to slight growth in the prepaid sector.
“The total number of active SIM cards increased by 3%, mainly due to slight growth in the prepaid sector. However, despite this overall increase, mobile broadband usage via mobile phones declined by 3%, resulting in a decrease in the percentage of SIM cards used for internet access from 64% to 60%,” he said.
Additionally, mobile broadband usage through dongles and routers dropped by 17%, suggesting a shift away from these devices. In contrast, fixed internet subscriptions rose by 5%, driven by increased satellite/VSAT subscriptions following the market entry of Satelio Telecommunications, which recently obtained a telecommunications service license.
Consumer demand for faster internet services also led to a 9% rise in Fibre-to-the-x (FTTx) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriptions.
In the broadcasting sector, the pay-TV industry saw an 11% decline in subscriptions in the fourth quarter of 2024, attributed to rising subscription fees and increasing competition from streaming services such as Netflix according to CRAN
However, overall revenue in the broadcasting sector remained stable due to a 2% increase in advertising revenue, bringing advertising’s share of total revenue to 11%, up from 9% in previous quarters.
