Namibian telcos generated the bulk of their revenues from data services, raking in N$582 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to a report released by the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN).
Voice call revenue came in at N$191 million, while SMS generated N$36 million during the period.
At least 97% of Namibians prefer using popular social media platform, WhatsApp, as compared to the traditional Short Message Service (SMS) that comes default in many mobile phones, official data shows.
“Mobile data usage has increased by 8%, while the number of SMSes sent remained fairly constant during the review period, whereas fixed-line outgoing minutes experienced a decline of 8%, which is consistent with the trend of decreased demand for fixed-line subscriptions for voice communication and a preference for data-driven services,” CRAN’s report shows.
However, the fourth quarter report’s data 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.
During the period under review, there was a decline in international mobile minutes, potentially driven by the use of over-the-top (OTT) services for voice communication.
“During the fourth quarter of 2022, the number of active SIM cards remained almost constant compared to the same period in the previous year, where approximately 68% of mobile SIM cards were used for internet access, which represents a 3% increase from 2021. However, there was a slight increase in overall broadband subscriptions as well,” the report reads.
There is still a further decline in fixed-line subscriptions.
The survey conducted by Vision Africa Research Services in 2022 on behalf of CRAN, sought to uncover people’s media consumption habits, identify the popular sources of news and messaging apps, as well as explore how people use the platforms to stay informed and connected.
“Radio emerged as the preferred source of news at 40.7% with followers tuning in between 5am and 8am. This was followed by Internet 23.6%, TV 21.2%, whereas newspapers scored 0.7%, while only 0.1% of the masses prefer social media news consumption,” states the report.
It further indicates that out of the individuals who were interviewed in the survey, 89% expressed a preference for abstaining from online purchases.
On the other hand, the telecommunications sector’s investments plunged showing a decline in Q4 2022 at N$88 million compared to N$159 million previously recorded in 2021.
“Q4 2022, there has been a noteworthy drop in the rental of letterboxes, with at least 38% currently rented, representing a substantial decline of 29% from Q3 2022. Additionally, the number of occupied private bags has also decreased by 8% during the same period.”
A negative growth was also recorded in Digital Mobile & Terrestrial subscriptions, experiencing a significant decline of 22% and 33%, respectively, during Q4 of 2022 as compared to the same period in 2021.
In contrast, the broadcasting sector experienced a 6% growth in revenue during Q4 of 2022 compared to the same quarter in 2021. Advertisement revenue also spiked by 35% when compared to Q4 2021, but only accounted for a 6% portion of the total revenue generated by broadcasters. The amount stood at N$238,2 million.
