Telecom Namibia attributes last week's network disruptions to simultaneous failures in its international connectivity links through South Africa, coupled with ageing local infrastructure.

Its CEO, Stanley Shanapinda, said fibre breaks and vandalism affected two separate South African providers at the same time, cutting off connectivity. 

Although services were restored externally, outdated equipment locally delayed full recovery.

Dr. Shanapinda said the company is in the process of modernising its network, but progress is slowed by limited funding and the scale of the infrastructure.

Recent emergency upgrades, including router replacements, have helped stabilise services.

Dr. Shanapinda also linked weak coverage to rising data demand, noting that network expansion and increased usage are putting pressure on capacity despite ongoing tower rollouts.

"The traffic numbers increase, and then they may have a bit of a challenge processing the data. And so when that happens, we then have to go and replace those pieces of equipment. So there's a huge surge in data and data use. And so we have to completely modernise end-to-end. And that budget will be over a couple of billion."

Responding to public complaints about weak coverage, Shanapinda highlighted the company's 350 towers and an RMB-funded expansion.

So far this financial year, over 50% of targeted new towers have gone live on TN Mobile.

On cybersecurity concerns, Shanapinda said security has been strengthened following a 2024 incident, with a Security Operations Centre now monitoring network activity in real time.

Copper theft remains a major challenge, frequently disrupting services and posing safety risks, with criminals reportedly targeting infrastructure and security personnel. 

Authorities have been engaged to address the issue.

"Currently, Dorado Park is affected by a copper theft. The copper thieves are very, very aggressive. We've deployed security guards at two hotspots. We have hardened access to the equipment, but we do receive reports of our security guards being targeted by shootings, and so they've become very, very aggressive. We are also working with the Namibian police. We got confirmation last week from the inspector general's office to assist with patrols. We've also engaged our Minister of ICT so that we get a Cabinet resolution on this matter and we get all of the government's support and all the strength of law enforcement to really address this critical problem."

He reiterated the company's commitment to improving network resilience, including exploring additional international routes to reduce reliance on South African connections.