The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has published its Quarterly Statistics Bulletin for the second quarter of 2025, highlighting notable changes in telecommunications, cybersecurity, broadcasting, and postal services.
The report presents a picture of a market in transition, where declines in traditional voice calls, SMS, and pay-TV subscriptions offset growth in digital and broadband services.
Mobile subscriptions showed relative stability, but mobile broadband access via smartphones saw a four per cent increase, raising the share of SIM cards used for internet services from 58 per cent to 61 per cent. MTC users mainly drove this growth. In contrast, mobile broadband through dongles and routers did not see any change, negating earlier signs of recovery. The decline in fixed-line subscriptions continued, dropping by 1% in both the business and residential sectors. This indicates a shift from traditional landlines to mobile and broadband-based options, including VoIP.
The trends in broadband services also reflected these movements. Subscriptions for lower-speed internet services dropped significantly, following a new policy that increased the minimum broadband requirements to 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. There was an impressive 11 per cent growth in Fibre-to-the-Premises subscriptions, with new players like Rocketnet Internet Namibia and Demshi Investment Holdings making notable gains. Satellite and VSAT subscriptions increased by 63 per cent as users transitioned from WiMAX services, which are set to be phased out by September 2025. VoIP usage rose by nine per cent, further solidifying its role as an alternative to traditional fixed-line voice services.
Changes in consumer behaviour were evident in voice and data traffic metrics. Mobile outgoing minutes surged by 7 per cent, reversing a 25 per cent decline from the previous quarter. Telecom Namibia experienced the highest growth, with an 11 per cent increase, while MTC maintained its dominance, handling 97 per cent of call terminations. Data consumption increased by eight per cent, although SMS usage declined by three per cent. Social media emerged as the top contributor to data traffic, accounting for 68% of MTC’s data usage. TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp are each responsible for 17% of this consumption. Facebook usage saw a slight dip, while other major platforms remained stable. Fixed-line outgoing minutes decreased by six per cent, although international minute usage rose by three per cent, with on-net traffic holding steady at a 35 per cent share.
Revenue trends were mixed. Data revenue dipped by 1.2 per cent despite increased usage due to free data promotions. Voice revenue dropped by six per cent, and SMS revenue fell by 14 per cent. Overall, the ICT revenue saw a modest growth of one per cent, indicating a degree of stability, even as operating expenses climbed by four per cent during the same period. Investment in the sector was reported at N$164 million, reflecting a pronounced 48 per cent decrease from the previous quarter, primarily resulting from a one-off infrastructure initiative by Loc8 Mobile earlier in the year. Nonetheless, Telecom Namibia and Paratus Telecommunications continued to invest substantially in their networks.
The report also noted escalating cybersecurity risks during this period. The count of cyber threats more than doubled due to infections associated with the Badbox 2.0 botnet. This malware primarily targets low-cost Android devices, such as tablets and connected TV boxes, many of which are produced in China. Reported cyber vulnerabilities increased by two per cent, following an established upward trend, further underscoring the urgent need for stronger security measures against malicious threats.
Pay-TV subscriptions fell by 11 per cent in the broadcasting sector, reversing the 10 per cent growth noted in the first quarter. This volatility reflects the ongoing disruption caused by over-the-top streaming platforms, such as Netflix, which are shifting consumer viewing patterns. However, advertising revenue bounced back significantly, increasing by 14 per cent following a sharp decline in the previous quarter. Advertising constituted 11 per cent of total broadcasting revenue, although total sector revenue decreased by 2 per cent, indicating that growth remains inconsistent.
There were modest signs of improvement in postal services, with postbox usage rising to 48 per cent from 43 per cent in the previous quarter and private bag usage increasing by four per cent to 35 per cent. While these metrics indicate progress, they remain significantly below historical averages as electronic communication continues to supplant traditional mail.
The Q2 2025 statistics underscore Namibia’s ongoing transition towards a more digital economy. Broadband, fibre, and mobile data usage are rapidly growing, while traditional services such as fixed-line voice, SMS, and pay-TV are declining. Simultaneously, new challenges are emerging as the threat landscape continues to evolve.
