MTN has elevated its network availability to 98% in the Free State, Northern Cape, and parts of the North West, aiming to enhance connectivity and counter disruptions during load-shedding. The South African telecommunications giant allocated R1.5 billion in 2023 to ensure network resilience during power outages and safeguard equipment from theft.
MTN reported that network sites in these regions now achieve daily availability above 98%, a notable improvement from the previous 92%, following the completion of over 1,400 site enhancements. The company has been actively modernizing its network sites in various provinces to mitigate the impact of load-shedding and enhance overall network resilience.
Network availability in the central region now stands at 94.58%, with over 50% of sites modernized. In Gauteng, sites with resilience achieve daily availability between 95% and 98%, with 99.91% of resilience work completed. The Western Cape is on track to achieve an overall network resilience completion rate of 97% by the end of 2024.
MTN plans to modernize 317 sites in KwaZulu-Natal by the close of 2023, accompanied by the rollout of 28 new sites. In the Western Cape, 230 additional sites were deployed in 2023, bringing the total to 429, with enhanced resilience sites achieving 99.4% network availability. The company also introduced 59 new 5G sites in Gauteng, totaling 965 in the region.
However, like its competitors, MTN has faced increased spending on security due to criminal activities targeting its network sites. The estimated cost of power outages in 2022 amounted to R695 million, representing 3.4% of the company’s local core earnings. This expenditure, dedicated to addressing power-related challenges, limits investments in network expansion and service quality improvements. MTN deployed over 2,000 additional generators in 2022 to counter the effects of load-shedding, utilizing more than 400,000 liters of fuel monthly. Vodacom, a rival company, has also invested significantly in backup equipment and additional running costs to address similar challenges since 2020.
