MTN and Cell C Battle to Joint Lead in South Africa’s Mobile Network Race
MTN Group and Cell C have emerged as joint leaders in South Africa’s mobile internet performance rankings for 2026, according to the latest annual barometer released by nPerf.
The report, which covers the period from April 2025 to March 2026, highlights a highly competitive telecommunications landscape, with operators making measurable gains across key performance indicators including speed, latency, and user experience.
MTN reached the summit of the overall rankings for the first time, sharing co-leadership with Cell C after scoring 48,153 nPoints. The operator posted the highest download speed at 41.3 Mbps and led in upload speed at 11.2 Mbps.
It also topped web browsing performance, signalling improved real-world user experience driven by continued network investment. In the 4G segment, MTN recorded the fastest download speed at 31.7 Mbps.
Cell C followed closely with 48,016 nPoints, maintaining its strong position through consistent performance across user-centric metrics. The operator retained the best latency for the fifth consecutive year and continued to lead in YouTube streaming performance over the same period.
In the 4G category, Cell C secured first place for the fifth year running across upload speed, latency, web browsing, and streaming performance.
The company also recorded a 15 per cent improvement in upload speeds compared to the previous year.
Vodacom ranked third overall with 45,488 nPoints, achieving notable progress by securing first place in web browsing and YouTube streaming performance for the first time. While Vodacom remains competitive in user experience metrics, the report notes that reducing latency currently at 84.2 milliseconds will be critical for closing the gap with the leading operators.
Telkom SA placed fourth with 27,627 nPoints, ranking second in latency both overall and within the 4G segment. However, the operator continues to face challenges in matching the speed and usage performance of its competitors.
The findings are based on millions of connection tests conducted via the nPerf application on Android and iOS devices, reflecting real user experiences across South Africa.
Commenting on the results, nPerf President Renaud Keradec said the market is evolving beyond single-metric competition.
“The South African mobile market is entering a new phase of competition, where leadership is no longer defined by a single metric but by the ability to deliver consistent performance across the full range of user experience indicators,” he said.
The report also noted that download speeds improved across all operators, indicating broad-based investment in network infrastructure and signalling continued progress in the country’s digital connectivity landscape.
