Connectedness is an integral part of everyday life. When you have a South African phone number and access to the Internet in South Africa, you can keep in touch with friends and family back at home, as well as new people you’ve recently met. That is why we have put together this article to enlighten curious readers on the best mobile networks available in South Africa.
Read Also: How to Borrow Airtime From Mtn In South Africa.
How many mobile networks are there in South Africa?
There are five main mobile phone providers in South Africa: Cell C, Vodacom, Virgin Mobile, MTN South Africa and Telkom (formerly 8ta)
Below is a list of network providers in South africa in no particular order;
Internet and phone providers
- Cell C – www.cellc.co.za
- MTN – www.mtn.co.za
- MWEB – www.mweb.co.za
- Telkon – www.telkom.co.za
- Virgin Mobile – www.virginmobile.co.za
- Vodacom – www.vodacom.co.za
Update: Virgin Mobile ceased operations in South Africa in September 2021
The 2020 Mobile Network Quality Report published by MyBroadband Insights shows that MTN has the best mobile network in South Africa. The report is based on 1.2 million speed tests which were performed by 41,000 MyBroadband Speed Test App users across South Africa between 1 January and 31 December 2020.
The research shows that South Africa had an average download speed of 29.33Mbps and an average upload speed of 11.24Mbps last year.MTN had the highest average download speed at 52.84Mbps, followed by Vodacom on 29.39Mbps, Telkom on 21.58Mbps, Cell C on 17.46Mbps, and Rain on 11.90Mbps.
Despite an increase in data usage in 2020, the average network speed of South Africa’s mobile operators increased significantly. This was enabled by a temporary spectrum that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) granted to Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Rain during the lockdown.
The additional spectrum allowed operators to increase their network capacity and improve average network performance. Vodafone and MTN also launched 5G networks using the temporary spectrum during the lockdown.
Rain was the only operator that saw its download speeds decline in the past year. In the fourth quarter, Rain’s network average download speed decreased from 15.20Mbps in the first quarter to 11.41Mbps. This significant decline was caused by network congestion in areas where the service was oversubscribed.
Which is the cheapest mobile network in South Africa?
According to a MyBroadband comparison, Telkom and Cell C offer the cheapest mobile data bundles in South Africa. Recent price reductions by Telkom include a R79 price cut for its 1GB monthly data bundle and a R89 price cut for its 1.5GB bundle.
Best mobile network in South Africa
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 the network performed in relation to other networks.
MTN reigned supreme in 2020 with a Network Quality Score of 9.86, followed by Vodacom on 6.17, Telkom on 4.87, Cell C on 4.35, and Rain on 4.35.
The table below provides an overview of the mobile network rankings in South Africa for 2020.
Download speed change during 2020
What is the best LTE network in South Africa
MyBroadband measured download speeds, upload speeds, and latency to determine the best mobile network in South Africa. In terms of Network Quality, MTN scored a perfect 10 out of 10.MTN is the country’s best mobile network for the second year in a row.
Is Vodacom or MTN better
During the lockdown, this temporary spectrum enabled mobile networks to increase their network capacity and improve their average speeds. MTN had the highest average download speed, with its rivals considerably behind it: MTN – 68.79Mbps. Vodafone – 39.37Mbps.
See Also: How To Easily Get Vodacom Airtime Advance In South Africa.
Conclusion
We cannot overemphasize the importance of having a smooth, efficient network provider. As communication is integral to productivity, be sure to find out which provider is the best.