Namibia embraces fibre and data as traditional telecoms shift gears
Namibia's information and communication technology (ICT) sector is undergoing a transformation, as outlined by the latest report from the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) for the first quarter of 2025. While traditional mobile voice and SMS services continue their decline, the nation is witnessing a clear pivot towards data-centric communication, marked by a significant surge in fibre-to-the-premises (FTTx) subscriptions and robust investment in network infrastructure.
“The total number of active SIM cards remained relatively stable. However, the proportion of SIM cards used for internet access declined from 60% to 58%, primarily due to a 2% decrease in mobile broadband usage via mobile phones,” CRAN said.
In contrast, mobile broadband usage through dongles and routers increased by 12%, marking a recovery from the previous quarter and returning to levels observed in earlier reporting periods.
Fixed internet subscriptions recorded a 3% increase during the first quarter of 2025. This growth was primarily driven by a 10% rise in Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTx) subscriptions, as service providers continued to expand fibre connectivity. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriptions also grew by 9%, likely influenced by the increased uptake of high-speed fibre services. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriptions also rose significantly by 9%, likely due to the growing adoption of FTTx, which offers improved speed and reliability.
“Mobile outgoing call volumes declined sharply by 25%, largely driven by a 27% reduction in MTC’s on-net traffic. SMS volumes decreased slightly by 2%, while mobile data usage increased by 6%, reflecting consumers’ growing preference for data-based communication services over traditional voice and text messaging,” CRAN said.
The ICT sector’s revenue grew by 6% in the first quarter of 2025, maintaining the same growth rate observed in the previous quarter. The telecommunications industry invested N$305 million in software and network infrastructure, representing a twofold increase from the previous quarter. This increase is attributed to renewed capital expenditure by MTC and a significant initial infrastructure investment by Loc8 Mobile.
In terms of cybersecurity, reported cyber vulnerabilities decreased by 16%, falling from 641 000 to 541 000.
“This decline is likely the result of improved patch management and enhanced security protocols. Conversely, the number of reported cyber threat events surged from 62,000 to 260,000. Most vulnerabilities were associated with the open CPE WAN Management Protocol (CWMP), underscoring the necessity of restricting public access to management interfaces,” CRAN said.
The broadcasting sector saw a 10% rise in pay-tv subscriptions during the first quarter of 2025, largely driven by increased uptake of Go TV services. This trend indicates a growing demand for affordable television content, particularly among lower- to middle-income households. However, advertising revenue within the sector declined sharply by 20%, highlighting ongoing instability in this income stream.
Moreover, the postal sector recorded a 43% increase in postbox usage, raising overall occupancy to 43%. Similarly, private bag usage rose by 51%. Despite the growing shift toward digital communication, these figures suggest a continued demand for traditional postal services.
“The total number of active SIM cards remained relatively stable. However, the proportion of SIM cards used for internet access declined from 60% to 58%, primarily due to a 2% decrease in mobile broadband usage via mobile phones,” CRAN said.
In contrast, mobile broadband usage through dongles and routers increased by 12%, marking a recovery from the previous quarter and returning to levels observed in earlier reporting periods.
Fixed internet subscriptions recorded a 3% increase during the first quarter of 2025. This growth was primarily driven by a 10% rise in Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTx) subscriptions, as service providers continued to expand fibre connectivity. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriptions also grew by 9%, likely influenced by the increased uptake of high-speed fibre services. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriptions also rose significantly by 9%, likely due to the growing adoption of FTTx, which offers improved speed and reliability.
“Mobile outgoing call volumes declined sharply by 25%, largely driven by a 27% reduction in MTC’s on-net traffic. SMS volumes decreased slightly by 2%, while mobile data usage increased by 6%, reflecting consumers’ growing preference for data-based communication services over traditional voice and text messaging,” CRAN said.
The ICT sector’s revenue grew by 6% in the first quarter of 2025, maintaining the same growth rate observed in the previous quarter. The telecommunications industry invested N$305 million in software and network infrastructure, representing a twofold increase from the previous quarter. This increase is attributed to renewed capital expenditure by MTC and a significant initial infrastructure investment by Loc8 Mobile.
In terms of cybersecurity, reported cyber vulnerabilities decreased by 16%, falling from 641 000 to 541 000.
“This decline is likely the result of improved patch management and enhanced security protocols. Conversely, the number of reported cyber threat events surged from 62,000 to 260,000. Most vulnerabilities were associated with the open CPE WAN Management Protocol (CWMP), underscoring the necessity of restricting public access to management interfaces,” CRAN said.
The broadcasting sector saw a 10% rise in pay-tv subscriptions during the first quarter of 2025, largely driven by increased uptake of Go TV services. This trend indicates a growing demand for affordable television content, particularly among lower- to middle-income households. However, advertising revenue within the sector declined sharply by 20%, highlighting ongoing instability in this income stream.
Moreover, the postal sector recorded a 43% increase in postbox usage, raising overall occupancy to 43%. Similarly, private bag usage rose by 51%. Despite the growing shift toward digital communication, these figures suggest a continued demand for traditional postal services.
