MTN continues to strengthen its position as the leading network in South Africa with an ongoing commitment to expansion, modernisation and innovation. And, with the recent allocation of mobile high-demand spectrum, MTN South African is well placed in its ambition to drive digital change that matters.

MTN South Africa’s Modernisation of Network South Africa (Monza) project, for example, will see 1 350 additional sites modernised across 200 key locations across South Africa by the end of 2022. The aim is to significantly expand rural reach, deploy 5G broadly and continue restoring vandalised network infrastructure as fast as possible. This will ensure that more people across the country get and stay connected so that they’re able to fully access the world of online, social and digital connectivity that will enable them to progress.

Focus on quality and reach

MTN aims to deploy an additional 100 rural sites nationally in highly underserved areas by the end of 2022. Providing network and connectivity services to people in the most remote rural settlements of South Africa, and across all provinces, will greatly improve access to data for those not yet connected and improve customer experience of MTN’s network.

MTN’s 2022 rural roll-out also will work to close the digital access gaps in South Africa, driving digital and financial inclusion, access to education, and open the door to new and exciting opportunities for individuals, communities and regional economies to grow.

Quality will remain MTN’s top priority

Customers countrywide stand to benefit from the deployment of the latest, fastest and most accessible 5G technology. MTN currently has over a thousand active 5G sites across the country and, in order to bring the benefits of the fourth Industrial Revolution to more people in an efficient and cost-effective way, the target is to have at least 25% of the population covered this year. This will include 1 500 5G sites built in main metros, peri-urban areas and larger townships.

5G means higher speeds, ultra-low latency, increased reliability and greater network capabilities that will bring about exponential improvements to the economy and lives of the people in South Africa by unlocking the full potential of next-generation services, robotics, artificial intelligence and the internet of things (IoT).

A key determinant of the success of the MTN modernisation project is the ongoing problem of battery theft and tower vandalism. While MTN’s heightened security and community collaboration strategy has seen a 50% year-on-year reduction in battery theft, and a further 3 000 sites being rolled out with batteries and security measures in 2022. This comes on top of the R650-million invested in 2021, with 2 600 base station batteries replaced nationally.

Stability, excellence at the heart of success

MTN’s ongoing innovation, investment and commitment to do more has seen it hit the ground running in 2022. In January, Rohde & Schwarz SwissQual recognised MTN as the best network in South Africa on a basis of the report’s Network Performance Score. MTN ranked first in quality and performance against South African’s leading mobile operators with a score of 763 out of 1 000 points, in comparison to the 722 achieved by its nearest competitor. MTN also outperformed its competitors in data services score, achieving 421 out of 600 for data, in comparison to the 373 achieved by its nearest competitor.

Then, in February, MTN was voted South Africa’s best network in the fourth quarter of 2021 for best coverage, speeds and quality. MTN achieved a network quality score of 9.50, in comparison to the 6.11 achieved by its nearest competitor.

MTN was also voted best network across the four large metros of Tshwane, Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg based on the Network Quality Score using download speed, upload speed and latency.

MTN’s unrelenting focus on connecting the unconnected – not matter the challenges – will continue to usher in a world of digital opportunity for more South Africans in 2022 and beyond.

About the MTN South Africa
Launched in 1994, MTN South Africa is a subsidiary of MTN Group, a leading emerging market operator with a clear vision to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our customers. We are inspired by our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE in South Africa under the share code “MTN”. Our strategy is Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.