Chamwe Kaira
Pay-TV subscriptions declined in Namibia during the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting changing consumer behaviour.
Subscriptions dropped by 6%, from 147 508 in the third quarter to 138 109 in the fourth quarter.
A report by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) shows that the decline may be linked to competition from streaming platforms, the end of major sports seasons and cost pressures on consumers.
Broadcasting revenue also fell by 2% during the same period.
Advertising revenue remained stable and accounted for 12% of total revenue.
The report shows mixed performance across telecommunications, broadcasting and postal services.
Mobile subscriptions increased during the quarter.
Active SIM cards rose from 2.674 million to 2.788 million.
This figure is a 4% increase. Prepaid subscriptions increased by 5%, while postpaid subscriptions rose by 1%.
This increase reflects continued demand for prepaid services. Mobile broadband subscriptions also increased by 4%.
Handset-based broadband recorded steady growth. Dongle and router subscriptions increased by 10%, showing demand for wireless internet options.
The share of SIM cards used for internet access remained at 62%. Machine-to-machine subscriptions declined by 2%.
The fixed-line market continued to decline. Subscriptions fell by 1% during the quarter. Fixed broadband subscriptions increased by 8%.
Fibre connections grew by 3% and remained the main fixed technology. Fixed wireless subscriptions increased by 40%.
MetroNet subscriptions rose by more than 200%, driven by enterprise demand. ADSL subscriptions declined, with lower-speed connections dropping by 18%.
VoIP subscriptions fell by 79%. Mobile voice traffic remained stable. Most calls, about 97%, were made on-net. International calls on TN Mobile increased by 82%.
SMS volumes remained unchanged. Mobile data usage dropped by 56% due to high usage in the previous quarter.
Social media continued to drive internet use. TikTok recorded the highest usage, followed by WhatsApp and Facebook.
Telecommunications revenue showed limited movement. Mobile data revenue increased slightly from N$928 million to N$934 million.
Voice revenue declined from N$695 million to N$694 million. SMS revenue remained at N$33 million. Investment in the sector dropped from N$455 million in the third quarter to N$128 million in the fourth quarter.
Postal services remained stable. Postbox occupancy held at 48%, while private bag usage remained at 35%.
