Viewpoint
Over the last few years, MTN, Africa’s largest mobile network operator, has been making a mark by delivering exceptional network performance in the country.
As per the latest MyBroadband report, based on 375,577 tests, MTN has the highest upload and download speed. Thanks to significant investments in ensuring best-in-class network performance to its subscribers, it has been dominating the South African network performance rankings for the past few years.
Further, the service provider emerged as South Africa’s best network after securing the highest score in Rohde & Schwarz SwissQual’s Network Performance score findings. MTN scored 763 out of 1,000 points to be ranked first in quality and performance. Rohde & Schwarz drive test covered major cities, towns and roads. MTN’s network recorded the best network performance in ten countries, including Benin, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Cote d’Ivoire, eSwatini, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.
Outstanding network performance demonstrates a deep and unwavering commitment to delivering quality services. In line with this commitment, MTN ensures consistent upgradation and modernization of its network infrastructure. The service provider is also focusing on closing digital access gaps in South Africa by targeting a network investment of R50 billion over the next five years.
Building Technology Platforms Second to None
The service provider has set ambitious targets to defend its leadership position in delivering the best network experience to its subscribers. MTN is leading in Net Promoter Score across 10 opcos and aims to be number one in 17 opcos by 2025, thus improving loyalty and customer lifetime value. In addition, the company continues to deliver superior customer experience to drive customer retention and broaden its commercial addressable base.
MTN has undertaken several initiatives to further differentiate itself from others on the basis of network quality. It plans to grow its fiber network to 135,000 km by 2025 to become the number one fiber player in the continent. MTN has now started to leverage real-time Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) by integrating all its data from different sources into one data lake to gain subscriber information. MTN has also adopted AI-based network planning, optimization, and operations for more accurate and efficient network management.
Further, the service provider has migrated 40% of its applications to the cloud for scalability and improved network performance. It is also creating an open platform ecosystem for partners and developers enabled by one API layer. These strategies are designed to support MTN in sustaining growth and defending its leadership position in terms of network performance. This will further help it strengthen its brand in Africa.
Contributing to the growth of the rural economy
MTN’s ambitious strategy is centred on bridging the digital and financial divide by providing quality connectivity to everyone. The service provider is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to extend the benefits of connectivity to yet-to-be connected areas and communities.
Its ambition to provide superior and the best network experience is linked to its commitment to expand coverage to advance inclusion. It recently launched MTN South Africa’s Modernization of Network South Africa (Monza) project to modernize 1350 additional sites across 200 locations in South Africa by the end of 2022. The project is designed to expand rural coverage to ensure that more people are able to leverage the benefits of connectivity. This is crucial as the digital economy continues to become all-pervasive after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to quality connectivity is now critical for people to benefit from emerging and growing opportunities in the online space. Further, the service provider plans to deploy an additional 100 rural sites across the country in underserved areas by the end of 2022.
MTN is committed to addressing the gaps in the network coverage to enable people and communities to access the opportunities in the digital space to boost the rural economies.
Strengthening Networks + Network Expansion = Strong Business Performance
All these factors potentially contribute to the strong business performance that MTN has recently recorded.
MTN’s strategy of providing the best-in-class network performance and expanding coverage in yet-to-be-connected areas has resulted in a strong financial performance in 2021. It recorded an increase of 18.3% in service revenue, 36.5% growth in data revenue and a 30.9% increase in fintech revenue. MTN also reported a 2.6% increase in return on equity to reach 19.6%. Further, MTN Group’s share price also surpassed R200/share in early March for the first time in seven years.
Another measure of its success is that the service provider was recently ranked as the most valuable South African brand in the world, with a brand value of R59.8 billion, according to the new Brand Finance South Africa 100 2022 report.
MTN’s business performance validates the strategy of distinguishing itself from other players by focusing on network performance and delivering an exceptional customer experience. In addition, the service provider is further focusing on expanding in remote and rural areas to bridge the digital divide. This helps MTN not only to add new subscribers but also contribute to the country’s progress by boosting the rural economy.
