MyBroadband Insights has released its third quarter 2024 Mobile Network Quality Report, revealing that mobile telecommunications provider, MTN, has the best mobile network in South Africa.
It is explained that the title has been regained after significant investments in infrastructure and technology.
The report is based on 296 277 speed tests performed by 6 989 mobile data users across South Africa between July 1 2024 and September 30 2024.
The testing included data from crowdsourced users and dedicated drive tests, ensuring a balanced and accurate representation of real-world network performance.
As part of the dedicated drive tests, MyBroadband Insights covered 13 000km and performed testing in South Africa’s major cities.
The dedicated drive tests used smartphones that support the latest technologies, as well as mid-range smartphones that replicate the experience of most users.
MTN achieved an impressive average download speed of 106.22 Mbps, significantly ahead of its closest competitor, Vodacom, which recorded 94.07 Mbps.
The report illustrates that MTN excelled in major cities, including Tshwane, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Nelson Mandela Bay, where it was the top performer.
It is also reported that it shared the honours with Cell C in Ekurhuleni. Meanwhile, Vodacom dominated in eThekwini and Mangaung, marking its strong presence despite MTN reclaiming leadership in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
MTN’s resurgence is attributed to its ongoing commitment to infrastructure, characterised by average annual investments of R10 billion over the past decade.
Although Vodacom ranked second in overall network performance behind MTN, it achieved the highest 5G speeds.
It is revealed that Vodacom has invested billions in expanding its 5G network across South Africa, and the latest results show the impact of its investment.
The biggest surprise over the last quarter was Cell C’s improvement, as it increased its average download speed from 54.50 Mbps to 68.12 Mbps over the last three months.
Cell C is making good progress under its new CEO, Jorge Mendes, which includes optimising its virtual network, which runs on MTN’s network infrastructure.
To determine the best mobile network in South Africa, each network was given a “Network Quality Score” based on download speed, upload speed, and latency.
The Network Quality Score out of 10 then shows how a network performed to other networks.
MTN reigned supreme with a perfect Network Quality Score of 10, followed by Vodacom at 8.24, Cell C at 7.03, Telkom at 4.51, and Rain at 4.01.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za