In 2024, South Africa’s major telecommunications companies significantly enhanced their mobile 5G connectivity and performance, marking a notable shift in the industry. While earlier challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing load-shedding had slowed down the rollout of 5G, a remarkable acceleration occurred in the past year.
As of December 2024, three operators—Vodacom, MTN, and Telkom—were providing 5G mobile services across the country. Vodacom pioneered the commercial launch of mobile 5G in June 2020. By the end of 2024, its 5G network had expanded to cover over 50% of the South African population, a notable increase from 30% the previous year, meaning that around 32 million people now had access to the service.
Vodacom’s deployment strategy has been shaped by customer demand and specific use cases, emphasizing areas where the technology is most needed. The performance of Vodacom’s 5G network also saw substantial improvement between the latter part of 2023 and 2024. The average download speed rose from 198.83 Mbps in Q3 2023 to 293.88 Mbps in Q4 2024—an impressive growth of 48%. Upload speeds also increased by 45%.
MTN, South Africa’s second-largest mobile network operator, launched its 5G services about a month after Vodacom. While MTN initially expanded its 5G network faster, it later fell behind Vodacom in coverage. By the end of 2024, MTN’s 5G network was available to 44% of the population, up from 35% at the beginning of the year. Download and upload speeds for MTN surged by 21% and 16%, respectively. The company indicated that expanding its 5G footprint would be a priority for 2025 while also exploring the potential of 5.5G technology. To encourage 5G adoption, MTN introduced the affordable Icon 5G device in November 2024 and showcased successful high-speed data capabilities at sea in collaboration with ZTE.
Telkom, the third-largest operator, did not share specific coverage figures but claims to provide 5G services in all major cities and expand into previously underserved areas, although 5G is not currently a top priority for the company as it focuses on enhancing its 4G network.
Smaller operators like Cell C and Rain also made strides in their 5G initiatives. Cell C began conducting connectivity tests in partnership with Vodacom and MTN. In August 2024, its CTO reported positive progress with these tests, and the company is preparing for 5G readiness through network modernization. Meanwhile, Rain, the first operator to offer 5G connectivity through fixed-wireless products in late 2019, has yet to roll out mobile 5G. However, it expanded its fixed 5G coverage to 8 million homes in 2024 and upgraded its network to 5.5G, looking to launch mobile 5G services in 2025.
The developments in South Africa’s 5G mobile connectivity indicate a robust growth trajectory, laying the groundwork for more advanced telecommunications in the years to come.
