Namibia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 10 Aug 2020 Update History

Report Pages: 121

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Namibia plans privatisation of Namibia Telecom and MTC

Namibia was slow to introduce competition in the mobile market, with a second operator not licensed until 2006. However, since then the market has developed strongly, with effective competition between MTC Telecom Namibia and Paratus Telecom. Mobile penetration is well above the regional average, and recent investment in LTE has also pushed up mobile broadband penetration.

For its part the government has an ambitious Broadband Policy aiming to provide 95% population coverage by 2024. This will be supported by the telcos which continue to invest in their own extensive network objectives. 5G services have been delayed, partly due to unsubstantiated public concerns for the technology which caused the government to order an environmental assessment of 5G in mid-2020 while also requesting that the regulator speed up its 5G development strategy.

Fixed-line services remained a monopoly of Telecom Namibia until mid-2019 when fixed number portability was introduced. Economic pressure has encouraged the government to pursue its plans to sell its stakes in Telecom Namibia and MTC, as well as in a number of other enterprises.

Although Namibia’s internet and broadband sector is reasonably competitive, with a small number of active ISPs, its development was held back by high prices for international bandwidth caused by the lack of a direct connection to international submarine fibre optic cables. This improved after operators invested in diversifying terrestrial access routes to adjacent countries.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

Telecom Namibia upgrades its VSAT hub to provide more reliable connectivity for users in remote areas;
City of Windhoek’s 5G and fibre plans opposed as uncompetitive;
Advisory panel encourages privatisation of Telecom Namibia and MTC;
Namibia approves Alphabet’s Project Look trials;
Government calls for the regulator to speed up 5G development strategy;
Government launches the National Broadband Policy and Implementation Action Plan, aiming to provide a universal 2Mb/s services by 2024;
MTC embarks on phase 2 of its N$1 billion 081Every1 network expansion project;
Paratus Telecom launches N$150 million infrastructure investment through to 2021;
Report update includes the regulator’s market data to December 2018 and 2019 annual report, operator data for fiscal 2020, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Telecom Namibia; Mobile Telecommunications (MTC); Cell One (Leo, Orascom); Powercom; MTN Business Namibia; MWEB Namibia; Africa Online Namibia; Internet Technologies Namibia; iWay.

Key statistics
Regional Africa Market Comparison

TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband
Fixed and mobile broadband

Country overview
COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Mobile devices
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authorities

Ministerial Communications Division
CRAN (formerly NCC)

Fixed-line developments

Communications Act 2009
Telecom sector liberalisation
International gateways
Privatisation
Interconnection
Number Portability (NP)
Infrastructure sharing
Universal Service

Mobile network developments

Licensing
Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G

Other infrastructure developments

GPRS/EDGE
Satellite mobile

Mobile data
Mobile broadband
Major mobile operators

MTC
Telecom Namibia Mobile
Paratus Telecom
MVNOs

Mobile content and applications

Mobile banking

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed-line broadband services

Digital economy

E-commerce
E-government

Fixed-network operator

Telecom Namibia

Telecommunications infrastructure

National fibre backbone networks
Next-Generation Network (NGN)
International infrastructure

Submarine cables

Smart Cities

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Namibia – 2020 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom sector revenue ($) – 2010 – 2018
Table 3 – Development of telecom sector revenue (N$) – 2010 – 2018
Table 4 – Development of telecom sector investment – 2010 – 2018
Table 5 – Decline in fixed and mobile incoming traffic – 2013 – 2018
Table 6 – Decline in fixed and mobile outgoing traffic – 2013 – 2018
Table 7 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2025
Table 8 – Change in the number of mobile prepaid and contract subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 9 – Change in SMS traffic – 2009 – 2018
Table 10 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2025
Table 11 – Mobile broadband subscribers (regulator data) – 2013 – 2018
Table 12 – Dedicated and standard mobile broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Table 13 – Change in the number of MTC’s mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2019
Table 14 – Development of MTC’s mobile revenue – 2010 – 2019
Table 15 – Development of MTC’s EBITDA and capex – 2010 – 2019
Table 16 – Development of MTC’s mobile ARPU – 2015 – 2019
Table 17 – Growth in the number of Telecom Namibia’s mobile subscribers – 2015 – 2018
Table 18 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2021
Table 19 – Growth in the number of DSL broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2018
Table 20 – Change in the number of DSL connections by data rate – 2013 – 2018
Table 21 – Telecom Namibia fixed broadband subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 22 – Development of Telecom Namibia’s financial data – 2010 – 2018
Table 23 – Change in the number of Telecom Namibia’s connections by type – 2013 – 2018
Table 24 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 – 2021
Table 25 – Change in Telecom Namibia’s switching capacity – 2009 – 2018
Table 26 – International internet bandwidth – 2010 – 2018
Table 27 – Internet bandwidth per subscriber – 2010 – 2017
Table 28 – Historic - Telecom sector revenue ($) – 2007 – 2009
Table 29 – Historic - Telecom sector revenue (N$) – 2007 – 2009
Table 30 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995 – 2009
Table 31 – Historic - Fixed-wireless broadband subscribers – 2013 – 2016
Table 32 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 1996 – 2009
Table 33 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995 – 2009
Table 34 – Historic - Mobile Termination Rates – 2008 – 2013
Table 35 – Historic - Internet users and penetration – 2010 – 2015
Table 36 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2009
Table 37 – Historic - MTC mobile financial data – 2005 – 2009
Table 38 – Historic - MTC mobile subscribers – 2005 – 2009
Table 39 – Historic - Telecom Namibia financial data – 2006 – 2009
Table 40 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2003 – 2009
Table 41 – Historic - Internet bandwidth per subscriber – 2003 – 2009

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Overall Africa view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 2 – Southern Africa - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 3 – Africa – Top-tier Telecoms Maturity Index (Market Leaders)
Chart 4 – Southern Africa –Telecoms Maturity Index by country
Chart 5 – Southern Africa mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Southern Africa fixed and mobile penetration rates
Chart 7 – Development of telecom sector revenue ($) – 2007 – 2018
Chart 8 – Development of telecom sector revenue (N$) – 2010 – 2018
Chart 9 – Development of telecom sector investment – 2010 – 2018
Chart 10 – Decline in fixed and mobile incoming traffic – 2013 – 2018
Chart 11 – Decline in fixed and mobile outgoing traffic – 2013 – 2018
Chart 12 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2025
Chart 13 – Change in the number of mobile prepaid and contract subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Chart 14 – Change in SMS traffic – 2009 – 2018
Chart 15 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2025
Chart 16 – Mobile broadband subscribers (regulator data) – 2013 – 2018
Chart 17 – Mobile broadband subscribers (regulator data) – 2009 – 2018
Chart 18 – Change in the number of MTC’s mobile subscribers – 2010 – 2019
Chart 19 – Development of MTC’s mobile revenue – 2010 – 2019
Chart 20 – Development of MTC’s EBITDA and capex – 2010 – 2019
Chart 21 – Development of MTC’s mobile ARPU – 2015 – 2019
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of Telecom Namibia’s mobile subscribers – 2015 – 2018
Chart 23 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2021
Chart 24 – Change in the number of DSL connections by data rate – 2013 – 2018
Chart 25 – Development of Telecom Namibia’s financial data – 2010 – 2018
Chart 26 – Change in the number of Telecom Namibia’s connections by type – 2013 – 2018
Chart 27 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 – 2021
Chart 28 – Change in Telecom Namibia’s switching capacity – 2009 – 2018

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – Southern Africa - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country
Exhibit 3 – Map of Namibia

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Namibia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Namibia plans privatisation of Namibia Telecom and MTC

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Africa Market Comparison

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed-network operator

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

Purchase with Confidence

Research Methodology

Sample Reports

Hot Topics

News & Views