MTN nears 1,000 5G towers in Gauteng

MTN has deployed 59 new 5G sites in Gauteng, bringing its total to 965 sites across the region, the company announced on Tuesday.

The company provided the information as part of an update about its cellphone tower power backup project.

“In an effort to mitigate the impact of load-shedding and bolster network resilience, MTN South Africa has spearheaded a comprehensive modernisation project across a number of provinces,” MTN stated.

In KwaZulu-Natal, MTN has already upgraded 245 sites, with plans to reach 317 by the end of 2023, accompanied by the rollout of 28 new sites.

Network sites with resilience upgrades in KZN are achieving up to 98% daily uptime.

In the Western Cape, 230 additional sites have been deployed in 2023, totalling 429.

MTN said the Western Cape’s upgraded sites are achieving 99.4% network availability.

In Gauteng, sites with bolstered resilience achieve a daily network availability of between 95% and 98%.

MTN said 99.91% of its sites in Gauteng have backup power systems installed.

The Western Cape is on track to reach an overall network resilience completion rate of 97% by the end of the year.

MTN said it is also expanding its network to underserved communities in rural areas, aiming for 95% rural broadband coverage by 2025.

In KwaZulu-Natal, MTN is rolling out 14 rural sites this year. Already-completed sites include rural Greytown, Tugela Ferry, and the Quachas Nek Border Post into Lesotho.

MTN said its progress was affirmed through South Africa’s largest-ever network quality testing project conducted by MyBroadband Insights in partnership with Analytico, Afristay, and Keysight distributor Coral-i.

MTN demonstrated an Average Call Setup Success Ratio of 98.20% and a Dropped Call Ratio of only 2.37%, exceeding industry regulations set by ICASA.

With its substantial investments in network resilience, MTN emphasised the importance of community involvement in mitigating the effects of site vandalism.

“The battle against these criminals is far from over despite recent successes; vigilance must remain the watchword,” said MTN SA CEO Charles Molapisi.