The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) says the country’s data revenue experienced a marginal decrease, falling to N$547 million during the second quarter to June 2023, compared to N$553 million recorded in the prior comparable period.
According to CRAN’s second quarter statistics bulletin, the decline in data revenue follows the highest recorded revenue in December 2022, amounting to N$582 million.
Namibia’s telecommunication landscape has been marked by dynamic shifts in recent months, as both data and SMS revenue experienced a decline, while revenue from voice services saw a slight increase.
According to the authority, voice revenue recorded a revenue of N$179 million in the quarter to June 2023, marking a slight uptick from the N$173 million recorded in the quarter ended March 2023.
The aggregate mobile minutes remained relatively constant throughout the second quarter of 2023, despite fluctuations in minute distribution.
In contrast, fixed-line call minutes showed a notable 6% decline, while data usage recorded a significant 7% upswing.
“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,” CRAN noted.
Furthermore, the second quarter saw a slight decrease in telecommunications investment, dropping to N$260 million, as opposed to N$268 million in the first quarter of 2023.
“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 report reveals.
Notably, during the second quarter of 2023, the number of active SIM cards decreased by 6%, primarily due to a reduction in the number of prepaid SIM card users.
CRAN attributed this drop to 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.
Despite the decline in the number of active SIM cards, there was a 7% increase in mobile broadband usage, with 74% of SIM cards accessing the internet, marking a 9% increase from the preceding quarter.
This comes as 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, CRAN noted that other wireless and VoIP services experienced declines ranging from 4% to 14% during the reviewed quarter.
These developments in the telecommunications sector reflect the ever-evolving landscape of technology and consumer preferences in Namibia, signalling a need for telecom companies to adapt and innovate to meet the changing demands of their customer base.
