Communications in Namibia
Encyclopedia
Telephone
s - main lines in use: (see CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wa.html)
140,000 (2008), 127,900 (2004), 110,200 (2000), 100,848 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.052 million (2008), 495,000 (2005), 82,000 (2000 est.), 20,000 (1998), 450,000 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment
good system; about 6 landline-telephones for each 100 persons
domestic:
good urban services; fair rural service; microwave
radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital
international:
fiber-optic cable
to South Africa
, microwave radio relay link to Botswana
, direct links to other neighbouring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)
Radio
broadcast
stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001), AM 2, FM 34, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios:
232,000 (1997)
Since Independence in 1990, Namibia has seen a dramatic growth in radio stations, with both commercial (for instance Radio 99, Radio Wave, Radio Energy, Omulunga Radio, West Coast FM, etc.) and community (UNAM Radio
, Katutura Community Radio
, etc.) receiving licences. Most of these stations broadcast various types of music format, and political discussions, news and phone-in programmes remain mostly the domain of the national broadcaster (NBC) which broadcasts nine radio services nationally (in various Namibian languages, including German - the only full-time German service outside of Europe), plus the new !Ha service, broadcasting to the San community in Tsumkwe.
Television broadcast stations:
8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)
The television network with the widest transmission range is NBC TV Namibian Broadcasting Corporation
(NBC, not to be confused with the American NBC
network). The NBC is the successor to the South Africa–run South West African Broadcasting Corporation (SWABC), which was modelled on the original SABC
. Like the radio services of the NBC, the television service tries to cater to all the linguistic audiences in Namibia, although the dominant language is English (Namibia's official language)
The commercial 'free to air' station is One Africa Television
, the successor to the now defunct TV Africa. It has also expanded its transmitter network and is now available in most major towns and cities in Namibia. In 2007 it also commenced with broadcasting a local television news bulletin each evening.
TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network
) is a religion television station, with some material originating locally, although also carrying relays from the United States. It is based in Windhoek and holds a community television licence.
Televisions:
60,000 (1997)
, making Namibia
the second African country (after Mozambique
) to do so.http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2007/0702121031.asp?S=Mobile%20and%20Wireless%20Technology&A=MAW&O=FPQQ#1
Telecom Namibia
, which has offered ADSL access since late 2006 http://allafrica.com/stories/200609150845.html, has a de facto monopoly on ADSL access. Their monopoly was unsuccessfully challenged in the courts by MWeb Namibia http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2007/0705311034.asp?A=AFN&S=All%20Africa%20News&O=E&C in May 2007 and again in August 2011 http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2011/august/article/mweb-loses-internet-case-against-telecom/
Internet Service Provider
s (ISPs):
10 (2006), 6 (2000), 4 (1999)
Internet users:
75,000 (2005), 45,000 (2002)
Country code (Top level domain): .NA
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
s - main lines in use: (see CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wa.html)
140,000 (2008), 127,900 (2004), 110,200 (2000), 100,848 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.052 million (2008), 495,000 (2005), 82,000 (2000 est.), 20,000 (1998), 450,000 (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment
good system; about 6 landline-telephones for each 100 persons
domestic:
good urban services; fair rural service; microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital
international:
fiber-optic cable
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, microwave radio relay link to Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, direct links to other neighbouring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)
Radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001), AM 2, FM 34, shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios:
232,000 (1997)
Since Independence in 1990, Namibia has seen a dramatic growth in radio stations, with both commercial (for instance Radio 99, Radio Wave, Radio Energy, Omulunga Radio, West Coast FM, etc.) and community (UNAM Radio
UNAM Radio
UNAM Radio is the radio station of the University of Namibia. It broadcasts on 97.4 fm and is based in Windhoek....
, Katutura Community Radio
Katutura Community Radio
Katutura Community Radio is a Community radio station based in Katutura, Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia.-History and mission:Launched in 1995, KCR aims to give a "platform for bottom-up, participatory communication, education, debate, advocacy and lobbying and to give residents of marginalized...
, etc.) receiving licences. Most of these stations broadcast various types of music format, and political discussions, news and phone-in programmes remain mostly the domain of the national broadcaster (NBC) which broadcasts nine radio services nationally (in various Namibian languages, including German - the only full-time German service outside of Europe), plus the new !Ha service, broadcasting to the San community in Tsumkwe.
Television broadcast stations:
8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)
The television network with the widest transmission range is NBC TV Namibian Broadcasting Corporation
Namibian Broadcasting Corporation
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation is the public broadcaster of Namibia.It was established in 1990, replacing the South West African Broadcasting Corporation.-History:...
(NBC, not to be confused with the American NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
network). The NBC is the successor to the South Africa–run South West African Broadcasting Corporation (SWABC), which was modelled on the original SABC
South African Broadcasting Corporation
The South African Broadcasting Corporation is the state-owned broadcaster in South Africa and provides 18 radio stations as well as 3 television broadcasts to the general public.-Early years:Radio broadcasting began in South Africa in 1923...
. Like the radio services of the NBC, the television service tries to cater to all the linguistic audiences in Namibia, although the dominant language is English (Namibia's official language)
The commercial 'free to air' station is One Africa Television
One Africa Television
One Africa Television is Namibia's first successful commercial free-to-air television station.Originally covering only Windhoek, Rehoboth and Okahandja, One Africa Television has grown significantly, operating 29 analogue transmitters in Namibia as of March 2009.One Africa Television provides a...
, the successor to the now defunct TV Africa. It has also expanded its transmitter network and is now available in most major towns and cities in Namibia. In 2007 it also commenced with broadcasting a local television news bulletin each evening.
TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
) is a religion television station, with some material originating locally, although also carrying relays from the United States. It is based in Windhoek and holds a community television licence.
Televisions:
60,000 (1997)
Internet
In February 2007, ISP Namibia Mweb began offering broadband wireless services through WiMaxWiMAX
WiMAX is a communication technology for wirelessly delivering high-speed Internet service to large geographical areas. The 2005 WiMAX revision provided bit rates up to 40 Mbit/s with the 2011 update up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed stations...
, making Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
the second African country (after Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
) to do so.http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2007/0702121031.asp?S=Mobile%20and%20Wireless%20Technology&A=MAW&O=FPQQ#1
Telecom Namibia
Telecom Namibia
Telecom Namibia Ltd is a telecommunications service provider operating in the country of Namibia. Telecom Namibia Limited is the national telecommunications operator, established in August 1992 and wholly owned by the Government of the Republic of Namibia...
, which has offered ADSL access since late 2006 http://allafrica.com/stories/200609150845.html, has a de facto monopoly on ADSL access. Their monopoly was unsuccessfully challenged in the courts by MWeb Namibia http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2007/0705311034.asp?A=AFN&S=All%20Africa%20News&O=E&C in May 2007 and again in August 2011 http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2011/august/article/mweb-loses-internet-case-against-telecom/
Internet Service Provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
s (ISPs):
10 (2006), 6 (2000), 4 (1999)
Internet users:
75,000 (2005), 45,000 (2002)
Country code (Top level domain): .NA