MTN tops mobile network quality, Telkom drops below SA average

As mobile network operators compete to be South Africa’s preferred network, MTN has claimed the top spot in the country’s mobile network quality report.

MyBroadband Insights Q3 2024 mobile network quality report revealed that MTN has the best mobile network in South Africa.

The study analysed 296,277 speed tests conducted by 6,989  mobile data users across South Africa between 1 July 2024 and 30 September 2024.

Download speed

MTN achieved the highest average download speed at 106.22 Mbps, followed by Vodacom at 94.07 Mbps, Cell C at 68.12, Telkom at 39.72 Mbps, and Rain at 23.14 Mbps.

The mobile network performed best in Tshwane, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Nelson Mandela Bay. It shared the honours with Cell C in Ekurhuleni.

While Vodacom reigned supreme in eThekwini and Mangaung, MTN won back the lead from Vodacom in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Overall, South Africa’s average mobile download speed increased to 70.41 Mbps from last year’s 62.27 Mbps.

ALSO READ: MTN tops mobile network quality, Rain drops below SA average

Testing: Real-world network performance

The testing included data from crowdsourced users and dedicated drive tests, ensuring a balanced and accurate representation of real-world network performance.

According to the report, MTN’s strong network performance resulted from average annual investments of R10 billion in its network infrastructure for a decade.

Although Vodacom ranked second in overall network performance behind MTN, it achieved the highest 5G speeds.

Vodacom invested billions in expanding its 5G network across South Africa, and the latest results show the impact of its investment.

Most improved

The biggest surprise over the last quarter was Cell C’s improvement. 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. This includes optimising its virtual network, which runs on MTN’s network infrastructure.

My Broadband said the dedicated drive tests used smartphones that support the latest technologies, as well as mid-range smartphones that replicate the experience of most users.

Best mobile network

To determine the best mobile network in South Africa, a “Network Quality Score” was calculated for each network using download speed, upload speed, and latency.

The Network Quality Score out of 10 then shows how a network performed in relation to other networks.

MTN reigned supreme with a Network Quality Score of 10, followed by Vodacom at 8.25, Cell C at 7.03, Telkom at 4.51, and Rain at 4.01.

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