8769
No. 806
No. 8769
Page
1
2025
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO AMEND REGULATIONS PRESCRIBING THE NATIONAL NUMBERING PLAN FOR USE IN THE PROVISION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES IN THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA, NUMBERING LICENCE FEES AND PROCEDURES FOR NUMBER LICENCES: COMMUNICATIONS ACT, 2009
In terms of sections 81(5) and 129 of the Communications Act, 2009 (Act No. 8 of 2009), read with Regulation (4) of the Regulations regarding Rule-Making Procedures published under General Notice No. 334 dated 17 December 2010, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia -
- (a) publishes this notice of intention to amend the 'Regulations Prescribing the National Numbering Plan for Use in the Provision of Telecommunications Services in the Republic of Namibia, Numbering Licence Fees and Procedures for Number Licences', which contains the following as set out in Schedule 2;
- (b) provides a concise statement of the reasons and purpose for the proposed amendment as set out in Schedule 1; and
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE
OF THE
REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA
N$4.80
GENERAL NOTICE
No. 806 Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia: Notice of intention to amend Regulations Prescribing the National Numbering Plan for Use in the Provision of Telecommunications Services in the Republic of Namibia, Numbering Licence Fees and Procedures for Number Licences: Communications Act, 2009
________________
Government Notice
COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF NAMIBIA
WINDHOEK - 31 October 2025
CONTENTS
The Authority invites the providers of services and public to submit comments in writing to the Authority within 30 days from the date of publication of this notice in the Gazette, and a written comment must -
- (a) contain the name and contact details of the person making the written submissions and the name and contact details of the person or entity on whose behalf the written submissions are made, if different;
- (b) be clear and concise; and
- (c) be send or delivered -
- (i) By hand to the head offices of the Authority, namely CRAN, Courtside Building, 3rd Floor, Freedom Plaza, c/o Fidel Castro Street and Rev. Michael Scott Streets, Windhoek;
- (ii) By post to the head offices of the Authority, namely Private Bag 13309, Windhoek, 9000; or
- (iii) By electronic mail to the following address: legaldrafting@cran.na.
T. MUFETI CHAIRPERSON COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF NAMIBIA
SCHEDULE 1
CONCISE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The purpose of the proposed amendment to the regulations is to review and set the reference value for chargeable quantity of numbers in order to reflect the cost of management of the numbering plan allocated in terms of these Regulations.
SCHEDULE 2
GENERAL NOTICE
COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF NAMIBIA
No.
2025
PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF REGULATIONS PRESCRIBING THE NATIONAL NUMBERING PLAN FOR USE IN THE PROVISION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES IN THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA, NUMBERING LICENCE FEES AND PROCEDURES FOR NUMBER LICENCES: COMMUNICATIONS ACT, 2009
In terms of section 81(5) read with section 129 of the Communications Act, 2009 (Act No. 8 of 2009), the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia amends the Regulations Prescribing the National Numbering Plan for Use in the Provision of Telecommunications Services in the Republic of Namibia, Numbering Licence Fees and Procedures for Number Licences published as set out in the Schedule.
T. MUFETI CHAIRPERSON COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF NAMIBIA
Definition
- In these Regulations 'the Regulations' means the Regulations Prescribing the National Numbering Plan for Use in the Provision of Telecommunications Services in the Republic of Namibia, Numbering Licence Fees and Procedures for Number Licences published under General Notice No. 97 of 1 April 2016 as amended by General Notice No. 500 of 30 August 2018, 445 of 30 August 2021, 675 of 22 November 2022 and 668 of 1 November 2024.
Amendment of Annexure D
- The Regulations are amended by the substitution for Annexure D of the following Annexure:
'ANNEXURE D
Regulation 39(e) CHARGEABLE FEE
In terms of regulation 39(e) the Authority hereby determine the reference value.
The reference value is set at Fourty Six Cents ( N$ 0.4614 ).
| Number | Weight | N$ (Fees Payable) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Digit Numbers | = 1000,000 | = 461, 443.00 |
| 4 Digit Numbers | = 100,000 | = 46,144.00 |
| 5 Digit Numbers | = 10,000 | = 4,614.00 |
| 6 Digit Numbers | = 1,000 | =461.4 |
| 7 Digit Numbers | = 100 | =46.14 |
| 8 Digit Numbers | = 10 | =4.614 |
| 9 Digit Numbers | = 1 | = 0.4614 |
Annual Number Fee = number x weight x reference value'.
DISCUSSION PAPER ON REVIEW OF NUMBERING FEES FOR CRAN 2025
Economics & Market Development
- Introduction
- Economics of Numbering
- Current Numbering Fees
- CRAN Management Costs of Numbering Plan
- Projected Numbering Fees 2025/2026
- Conclusion
References
1. Introduction
In 2016, CRAN set out Regulations prescribing the National Numbering Plan for use in the Provision of Telecommunications Services in the Republic of Namibia, Numbering Licence Fees and Procedures for Number Licences . The fees prescribed in these regulations were charged for the first time in 2018 and then in subsequent years. In 2021, the regulations were revised in line with section 81(5) of the Communications Act, 2009 (Act No. 8 of 2009), which provides that ' the Authority must allocate numbers in return for a fee that is no greater than necessary to compensate for the management costs of the numbering plan and control of its use.' The essence of the review was to ensure that the fees
SCHEDULE
charged are no greater than necessary to compensate for the management costs of the numbering plan and the control of its use.
The objectives of the Act guide all of CRAN's actions: The fees CRAN collects are subject to the objectives of the Act, which align with the broader trend towards liberalisation, privatisation, and increased competition to achieve affordability and wider access.
Section 39(1)(f) of the Numbering Regulation provides for the review of numbering fees. In 2021, CRAN allocated the costs as prescribed in the Act to determine the numbering fees for 2021. The same methodology was followed in 2025.
2. Economics of Numbering
The emergence of new services and increased competition has enhanced the economic value of telecommunications numbers, positioning them as a scarce and valuable resource. Any economic considerations around numbers arise for two main reasons:
- (a) Firstly, a fairly administered numbering plan can facilitate competition in service provision and thus bring benefits to users by reducing tariffs and increasing the quality standards in services provided. In order for competition to flourish, however, operators and service providers should be treated on an equal basis regarding access to number resources.
- (b) Secondly, numbers become important tools in the hands of value-added service providers. Given that most of these services are highly profitable for operators, the allocation of specific number ranges to provide exclusive access to services such as mobile telephony, personal communication, and premium rate services increases the value of numbers. Moreover, it is recognised that a limited range of numbers contains 'higher' value than others, because their memorable structure brings benefits to the called party. (OECD/GD (95)117).
As competition grows and new numbering requirements emerge, it is now widely acknowledged that ' telephone numbers are a national resource and should be for the customer -- not for the operators to brand ' (OFTEL, 1993a). New operators and service providers must have access to numbers and the right to use them in ways that best meet their needs and support service delivery.
Not all number ranges have the same value to users. Different users may attribute more value to a number than others based on how easy it is to remember and what it might be utilised for. Numbers are, therefore, a scarce resource that should be managed and paid for, considering the economic value of the number.
The availability of adequate numbering resources is a crucial prerequisite for the development and growth of telecommunication markets and services. New business models, such as VoIP and machineto-machine (M2M), change the demand for numbering resources and are challenging national regulatory authorities worldwide with the task of adapting the existing numbering management (WIK Consult).
3. Current Numbering Fees
The current numbering fees, as set out in 2024 and published as general notice no. 668 in Government Gazette 8491 dated 1 November 2024, are outlined in Table 1 below:
Table: Current Numbering Fees
| Digit Numbers | Fees |
|---|---|
| 3 Digit Numbers | 1,684,200.00 |
| 4 Digit Numbers | 168,420.00 |
| 5 Digit Numbers | 16,842.00 |
| 6 Digit Numbers | 1,684.42 |
| 7 Digit Numbers | 168.42 |
| 8 Digit Numbers | 16.842 |
| 9 Digit Numbers | 1.6842 |
4. CRAN Management Costs of Numbering Plan
The total cost of managing the numbering plan and the control of its use includes the following and accounts to approximately 3% of CRAN's total operational cost: human capital, office space and utilities, insurance and banking charges, general expenses, audit and accounting, licence fees towards international organisations, Government Gazette and public hearings, and any other related costs. This amounts to N$4,890,791.00.
Table 2 below depicts the costs for numbering from 2023/2024 to 2024/2025, and projected costs for 2025/2026 are as follows:
Table 2: Numbering Cost (N$)
| Item | 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 | 2025/2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 2,230,960 | 5,856,823 | 4,890,791 |
| Managementcosts | (1,157,059) | (2,444,355) | (4,890,791) |
| Profit/Loss | (1,073,901) | 3,412,468 | 0 |
| Amount of Numbers | 2,439,169 | 2,937,564 | 3,203,693 |
| Source: | AFS | AFS | Projected |
The under recovery for 2023/2024 financial year was recovered through the fees charged in 2024. CRAN collected a total of N$5,856,823 in numbering revenue for the 2024/2025 financial year. However, this amount resulted in an over-recovery of N$3,412,468 due to an increase in the number of utilisations, which only became apparent following the numbering audit conducted in November 2024. This increase in utilisation resulted in higher revenue compared to the previous year's figure. In light of the above, it is necessary to apply the adjustment as shown in Table 3 below:
The total numbers recorded in the numbering audit were 2,937,564. Based on the previous year's experience, this figure was increased by 10%, primarily due to the anticipated higher utilisation of M2M numbers. In addition, Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) provided its number projections for the 2025/2026 financial year, which were incorporated to determine the projected number utilisation for that period.
Table 3: Reconciliation of Numbering Cost and Revenue: 2024/2025
| Item | Amount(N$) |
|---|---|
| Total Budgeted Cost | 4,890,791 |
| Minus: Over-recovery | 3,412,468 |
| Total Revenue required | 1,478,323 |
| Total Numbers | 3,203,693 |
| Cost per number | 0.46 |
5. Projected Numbering Fees 2025/2026
Table 4: Numbering Fees 2025/2026
| Digit Numbers | Fees |
|---|---|
| 3 Digit Numbers | 461,443 |
| 4 Digit Numbers | 46,144 |
| 5 Digit Numbers | 4,614 |
| 6 Digit Numbers | 461.4 |
| 7 Digit Numbers | 46.14 |
| 8 Digit Numbers | 4.614 |
| 9 Digit Numbers | 0.4614 |
| Total |
6. Conclusion
Considering the above and pursuant to section 81(5) of the Communications Act, the new fee for numbering for 2025/2026 shall be set at N$0.4614.
References
OE CD ( 1 9 9 5 - 0 1 - 0 1 ) , ' T he E conomi c and R egul ator y As pects of Telecommunication Numbering', OECD Digital Economy Papers, No. 12, OECD Publishing, Paris. http://dx.doi. org/10.1787/237502514428
WIK Consult (2014), Implications for the management of numbering due to the internationalisation of telecommunications networks and Services (393), https:// www.wik.org/en/publications/publication/ no-393-implications-for-themanagement-of-numbering-due-to-the-inter nationalization-oftelecommunications-networks-and-services
________________