MTN South Africa is taking a significant step to increase 4G adoption across the nation by offering 1.2 million 4G-enabled smartphones to its prepaid subscribers at a remarkably low price of just 99 rand (approximately $5.42) each. This initiative is designed to address the high cost of compatible smartphones, which has been a key barrier for many customers in upgrading to faster, modern networks.

While the average selling price of smartphones has dropped in recent years, thanks to affordable options from brands like Tecno, Itel, and Infinix, these devices still remain out of reach for some consumers, according to the Global Mobile Phone Association (GSMA). MTN's affordable 4G smartphone program aims to overcome this challenge and make 4G technology more accessible.

The program will be rolled out in three phases. The first phase will focus on 5,000 carefully selected customers from Gauteng province, chosen based on their usage patterns, spending habits, and tenure with the network. In the second phase, MTN will expand the program to over 130,000 customers across the country. The final phase will reach more than 1.1 million subscribers, making the 4G smartphones available to a vast majority of MTN’s prepaid customers nationwide.

This initiative aligns with the South African government's plan to phase out 2G and 3G networks by the end of 2027 in favor of advanced 4G and 5G technologies. In response, MTN has decided to close its 3G network by December 31, 2025—one year ahead of the government’s timeline. The company is proactively encouraging its subscribers to upgrade to 4G to avoid disruption when older networks are decommissioned.

For MTN South Africa, the transition to 4G represents not only an effort to enhance service quality but also a strategic economic opportunity. With 4G offering faster speeds and more reliable connections, there is expected to be a significant rise in data consumption, particularly for activities like video streaming, online gaming, video conferencing, and cloud services. According to the GSMA, the average mobile data usage per subscriber in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to grow from 1.9 GB in 2023 to 8 GB by 2030. This increase in data consumption is expected to result in higher data service revenues for operators like MTN, boosting their overall financial performance.

By providing affordable 4G smartphones, MTN is not only helping to accelerate South Africa's transition to 4G but also positioning itself to benefit from the expanding mobile data market.