mtn south africa
MTN Commits $1.5-Billion for Broadband Access Across Nigeria
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN Nigeria plans to invest 640-billion naira (approximately US$1.5 billion) over the next three years to expand broadband access across the continent’s most populous country, in line with the federal government’s 2020-2025 National Broadband Plan and in support of MTN Group’s Ambition 2025 strategy. “Nigeria is one of our most important markets. We have a proud history of partnering with Nigeria and Nigerians to drive faster and more inclusive growth through digital transformation,” said MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita after a three-day visit to Abuja and Lagos, in which he met a number of key stakeholders. These included President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo; Minister of Communications and Digita...
MTN to Launch OpenRAN Network in Africa
MTN Group is leveraging its expansive footprint across Africa to test and ultimately deploy OpenRAN – an innovative technology that will enable it to launch new services more quickly, cost-effectively and seamlessly, supporting future strategies in line with the company’s Ambition 2025: Leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress. MTN plans to modernise its radio access networks using OpenRAN. This is in line with one of five vital enablers of MTN’s strategy: to build technology platforms that the company believes are second to none, thereby allowing for the rapid expansion of 4G and 5G population coverage across its markets. With up-to-date technology, MTN expects a reduction in its power consumption and associated carbon emissions. This, in turn, supports its plans to decarbonise its...
Ethiopian Government Selling a 40% Stake in Ethio Telecom
Image sourced from Africanews. The Ethiopian government has announced a new tender process to begin the sale of a 40% stake in the state-owned telecommunications company, Ethio Telecom. The sale is still in its very early stages with the selection of a successful bidder expected only at the end of a significantly lengthy process. According to reports, the government plans to retain a 55% stake in the operator while the remaining 5% will be offered to domestic investors through an initial public offering. This new proposed sale of a large minority stake in the telecom comes as part of the Ethiopian government’s plan to liberalise the country’s monopoly in its telecom sector. Another key piece of the plan is for two foreign carriers to be granted licenses to operate in the vast, nearly-untap...
MTN Plans to Build New ICT Centre in Ghana
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita has made a three-day visit to Ghana and launched major projects that the operator aims to achieve by 2022, Ecofin reported. It intends to improve and expand network infrastructure to bring quality telecom services to rural areas and supporting Ghana’s QR code project and other digital initiatives such as combating cyber-attacks and developing women’s participation in ICT, he said. Mupita also revealed MTN’s intention to build an ICT centre in Ghana and finalise the opening of 30% of MTN Ghana’s capital to local investors by the end of the year. MTN plans to open up 30% of the capital MobileMoney by January 2022, too. Since March, the company has initiated a strategic repositioning to attract third-party capita...
MTN Group Eyes Second Ethiopian Operating Licence
MTN Group CEO, Ralph Mupita has revealed that the telco would consider bidding for the second Ethiopian operating licence after initially losing to Safaricom. “We took an approach that the opportunity, as strategic as it was, needed to meet our capital allocation framework and the hurdles that we saw given the licence conditions. We were particularly focused on the lack of mobile money in the licencing regime, and there were some issues around how the telco constructs would be accommodated within Ethiopia. We certainly priced for those things and near-term risks that we saw, and we felt that the financial bid there was appropriate.” He says that although it was disappointing that they did not win the initial bid, they may take another shot at it. “There are views that the Ethiopian authori...
MTN Subscribers Can Now Make Payments Via WhatsApp
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN has joined forces with Ozow so that subscribers can purchase data and airtime directly through WhatsApp – an industry-first in South Africa. “Giving customers the ability to transact seamlessly on WhatsApp is a gamechanger in South Africa. It provides a seamless way to stay connected, in touch and in tune, while being simple and secure. Most importantly it will help improve financial and digital inclusion and enhance access for consumers,” says Jacqui O’Sullivan, Executive of Corporate Affairs at MTN South Africa. The service is provided within the MTN Chat platform, which was launched in 2019, to enable customers to initiate the purchase of airtime and data bundles within their WhatsApp chat. Making actual payments via WhatsAp...
MTN Completes NLD Fibre Cable Project in South Africa
MTN has officially completed its Coastal National Long Distance (NLD) fibre cable project. The fibre route starts in Cape Town, and runs along the N2, moves through Gqeberha and East London and then on to Durban. It is expected to offer an exciting alternative to existing fibre networks and older, slower options and covers an impressive 1,822 kms while supporting several other sites. “The project gives MTN an opportunity to provide additional and significant capacity between coastal cities and the rest of SA, ensuring the digital world is brought one step closer for many more people,” says Giovanni Chiarelli, CIO at MTN SA. The NLD 5/6 project commenced over 3 years ago, constructed by Liquid Telecoms (Liquid Intelligent Technologies), with MTN as the key anchor investor. Apart ...
MTN Data Introduces New Pricing for EverydayGig Data Bundles
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN South Africa is expanding its EverydayGigs data bundles as a convenient way for prepaid customers to stay connected by paying once and getting allocated with 1GB of data daily without the fuss of recharging or converting airtime to a bundle. Among the price decreases, the 7GB weekly offer price falls from R149 to R99, 14GB weekly from R199 to R179 and the 30GB monthly offer has been reduced from R499 to R349. Here’s a closer look at the MTN EverydayGigs offers: MTN Everyday Gigs Validity Total Data Allocation Daily Allocation Old Price New Price 1 Day 1GB 1GB R29 R29 2GB 2GB R49 R49 3 Day 3GB (New) 1GB – ...
MTN Group Reports Service Revenue Growth in 2021
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN Group has reported strong operational and financial performance for the first quarter of 2021. “The MTN Group has delivered a solid Q1 2021 trading performance, with service revenue and EBITDA margins expanding on the back of continued commercial momentum and resilient networks,” says MTN Group President and CEO, Ralph Mupita. He adds that the Group’s Ambition 2025 strategy had gained execution traction during challenging COVID-19 macroeconomic conditions in the quarter. In constant currency terms, service revenue grew by 17.8% to R42.3 billion at end-March 2021, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 21.3% and the EBITDA margin widened to 44.2% from 42.7%. “The overall Group results were suppo...
MTN Ranked as Best Mobile Network in South Africa
Sourced from TheTechieGuy (https://thetechieguy.com/) MTN has been ranked as the best mobile network in South Africa – ahead of Vodacom, rain, Telkom and Cell C – according to the latest MyBroadband Insights Mobile Network Quality Report. The report is based on 349,575 speed tests that were performed by thousands of users across the country. The research shows that South Africa had an average mobile download speed of 33.23Mbps and an average upload speed of 12.71Mbps. MTN had the highest average download speed at 64.29Mbps, followed by Vodacom on 32.76Mbps, Telkom on 27.83Mbps, Cell C on 20.82Mbps and Rain on 10.58Mbps. MTN’s exceptional performance is a result of a R50-billion infrastructure investment over the past five years to extend coverage, improve network quality, and increase...
MTN MoMo Extends Partnership with Pick n Pay South Africa
MTN MoMo (Mobile Money) has revealed that its South African subscribers will now be able to cash-in and cash-out at Pick n Pay stores across the country, offering consumers a secure and cost-effective means of transacting that also alleviates the risks of managing cash. “We’re pleased to extend our relationship with Pick n Pay by offering quick and convenient cash-in and cash-out services to our 2,8 million MoMo subscribers through Pick n Pay stores,” says Felix Kamenga, Chief Officer of Mobile Financial Services at MTN SA. “Until now, MoMo customers have only able to cash-out through bank EFTs, at an MTN store or via a MoMo agent. Adding Pick n Pay to our offering will create greater convenience and accessibility for our customers – many of whom need to factor transport ...
MTN South Africa Appointed as Mobile Provider to Government
MTN South Africa has been appointed by the National Treasury as the new mobile provider to the Government. The contract allows for all entities of state to “utilise the contract for mobile communication services, which will further assist with cost containment”. The scale of the government’s requirements is expected to allow MTN to develop systems, innovative pricing and products that will not add value to South Africa and also significantly improve on existing mobile telecommunications service delivery. “We are both humbled and honoured by the faith National Treasury has shown in MTN with this critical partnership over a five-year term. A huge team at MTN spent months analysing the state’s requirements and then developing the very best solutions to not only meet those expectations, but to...
