Staff Reporter
THE total number of active SIM cards decreased by 5% between April and June, primarily due to a decline in the use of prepaid SIM cards.
This was highlighted by Helene Vosloo, the Executive of Economics and Market Development at the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), who outlined the key highlights of CRAN’s Quarterly Statistics for the period from 1 April to 30 June 2024.
“The total number of active SIM cards decreased by 5%, primarily due to a 6% decline in prepaid SIM cards. This reduction is likely attributed to the prepaid packages with longer validity offered by licensees, coupled with the implementation of SIM card registration requirements, which stipulate that only registered cards can remain active,” Vosloo explained.
She also revealed that mobile broadband usage on phones fell by 11%, reducing the proportion of SIM cards accessing the internet from 66% to 61%. Conversely, she added, usage via dongles and routers increased by 17% during the same period.
Vosloo further reported a general decline in fixed internet subscriptions of between 3% and 15%. Nonetheless, she said, some segments saw growth: Fibre-To-The-X (FTTx) subscriptions increased by 9%, other wireless services grew by 2%, and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriptions rose by 12%. According to her, these positive developments suggest a shift towards more modern, faster, and flexible internet solutions.
“Total outgoing mobile minutes saw a slight decline of 3%, largely influenced by a notable 14% decrease in TN Mobile on-net minutes. In contrast, mobile data usage, measured in gigabytes, experienced a modest 2% increase, primarily driven by a significant 13% rise in Paratus Telecommunications’ mobile data traffic,” added Vosloo.
In terms of capital expenditure, Vosloo explained that the telecommunications sector invested around N$243 million, focusing on both physical infrastructure and software improvements. She revealed that data revenue remained steady, with SMS and voice revenues following expected seasonal patterns, while postal services operations showed stable activity levels overall.
Vosloo also highlighted that investment in the broadcasting sector totalled N$1.4 million, marking a 26% decrease from the previous quarter. She revealed that the overall revenue in this sector declined by 2%, but advertising revenue increased by 2%, making up 9% of the sector’s total revenue – a figure that has been stable in recent quarters.
“Pay-TV subscriptions saw a significant 6% decline overall. This trend continues to fluctuate, driven by changes in consumer behaviour and market dynamics, with more viewers transitioning to alternative digital streaming platforms,” Vosloo added.
