South Africa Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

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Last updated: 12 Jun 2025 Update History

Report Status: Current

Report Pages: 271

South African MNOs advance of shutting down 3G networks

South Africa’s telecom sector boasts one of the most advanced infrastructures on the continent. There has been considerable investment from Telkom, Liquid Intelligence Technologies, Broadband InfraCo, and municipal providers as well as from the mobile network operators MTN and Vodacom, all aimed at improving network capabilities. Vodacom in late 2023 made a bid to merge with Maziv, in which it has a 30% stake, to improve its presence in the fibre broadband sector. This was blocked by the Competition Commission though the Vodacom has appealed.

The focus in recent years has been on backhaul capacity and on fibre and LTE networks to extend and improve internet service connectivity. With the ongoing migration to fibre, the incumbent telco Telkom is looking to close down its copper network. Several satellite solutions have also become available, aimed at providing additional backhaul and improving connectivity in rural areas. Starlink, which provides services in neighbouring Mozambique and Eswatini, has yet to receive a licence to operate in South Africa, though thousands of households access Starlink regardless.

The mobile sector has developed strongly in recent years, partly due to the poor availability and level of service of fixed-line networks, which meant that many people had no alternative to mobile networks for voice and data services.

A multi-spectrum auction delayed several times due to legal wrangling was finally held in March 2022. The delay caused difficulties for network operators, which were forced to refarm spectrum for 3G and LTE use, and provide 5G services on temporary licences. Six qualified bidders acquired spectrum. One of the conditions for licensees was to expand the availability of internet access to schools across the country.

Since 2022 the national power gird has come under considerable strain. Load-shedding became the norm, leading to telcos having to invest in other power sources (mainly diesel and solar), thus impacting on revenue. In 2024, telcos’ dependence on generators and batteries fell due to the load-shedding mitigation plan implemented by the electricity producer Eskom during the year.

Key developments

  • Information, Communication Technologies and Media Regulators Forum is set up to improve regulation of the ICT and media sectors.
  • MTN to shut down its 3G network by end-2025.
  • Telkom sells its Swiftnet unit with 4,000 masts and towers for ZAR6.618 billion.
  • New symmetrical mobile termination rate to come into effect from July 2025.
  • Vodacom appeals against Competition Commission’s prohibition of its merger with Maziv.
  • Starlink investigated by the telecom regulator for offering service without a licence.
  • Report update includes the regulator's annual report for 2024, report on the ICT sector for 2025, operator data to Q1 2025, updated Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report

Vodacom, MTN (MTN Network Solutions), Cell C, Telkom (Heita, 8ta), Virgin Mobile, Neotel, Atlantic Internet Services, Business Connexion, Internet Solutions, Verizon Business, MWEB, Vox Telecom (DataPro), Sentech, iBurst (WBS, Blue Label), Liquid Intelligence Technologies, Broadband InfraCo, Transtel, Eskom.

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