MTC is considering the options available, which include a review of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN’s) decision on the NamPower, MTC and Telecom that concluded a dark fibre tripartite agreement in 2012.
MTC submitted a dispute adjudication request to CRAN, citing exclusivity and non-competitive behaviour.
“CRAN has declared certain sections of the Tripartite agreement void and unenforceable, rendering the agreement unenforceable. Should the CRAN decision stand, MTC would be liable for increased rates to continue leasing the dark fibre. The value of this expected increase in rates is not yet determinable,” according to the 2024 Integrated Annual Report.
MTC is Namibia’s largest communication services provider and mobile telecom operator, with approximately 2.224 million active subscribers.
Over the past five years, MTC invested approximately N$1 billion in the 081Every1 campaign to connect 98.11% of Namibians and was a forerunner in deploying LTE to rural communities.
In 2024, the government introduced a universal service fund that charges a 0.5% levy to operators, including MTC, to fund further deployment of LTE to bridge the digital divide.
The company allocated its major capital investments to network and IT infrastructure upgrades and fibre deployment.
These maintain network quality and availability and support the company’s expansion into 5G, cloud computing and Internet of Things (IoT) services.
MTC said it has made significant advances in positioning MTC as a digital enabler of the future, enhancing operational and service excellence and expanding into new growth markets.
The company said the granting of 20 MHz bandwidth in the 800 MHz spectrum band in October 2023 improved its service coverage and supports 4G/LTE expansion.
“5G spectrum for enterprise products and services was not awarded as planned because it was not made available by CRAN. However, we successfully trialled 5G in March 2024 to showcase the capabilities and performance of the technology. MTC continues to engage the regulator for the 3500 MHz or 2600 MHz spectrum, which will enable MTC to deploy 5G services comprehensively,” the company said.
Chairperson Theofelus Mberirua said that as Namibia’s leading mobile network operator, MTC’s growth opportunities in a competitive market became constrained.
“We responded by defending our core business and using it as a platform to launch aggressive expansion in new markets that will drive future growth. This means we continue investing in our network to meet the growing need for digital services as we implement new systems and emerging technologies to improve our operations’ speed and cost efficiency. Cybercrime is a consequence of evolving digital technology and we take it very seriously by investing in robust security measures to safeguard our systems and data and protect our customers,” he said.
Source: https://www.observer24.com.na/mtc-considering-options-on-%EF%AC%81bre-tripartite/