Top-rated mobile operator in South Africa – MTN vs Vodacom
MyBroadband has released its Q1 2020 Mobile Operator Report, which shows that MTN is the top-rated mobile provider in South Africa.
The report is based on 7,608 customer satisfaction ratings from mobile data users across South Africa.
These ratings provide an overview of which operators have the happiest customers, and which operators should improve.
MTN received the highest customer satisfaction rating at 84%, followed by Vodacom on 70%, Rain on 69%, Cell C on 63%, and Telkom on 60%.
What makes these customer ratings interesting is that they closely follow the network quality of the operators.
One would expect data prices and customer support to play a more prominent role in customer satisfaction, but it is not the case. Or at least not for middle-class South Africans.
Network quality, and not pricing, is the dominant metric for many people when they decide on which mobile operator to support.
This is why Vodacom and MTN continue to show strong growth despite their competitors – Telkom, Rain, and Cell C – offering lower prices.
The table below provides an overview of the mobile network customer satisfaction ratings in Q1 2020.
| Mobile Operator Customer Satisfaction Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Operator | Percentage |
| MTN SA | 84% |
| Vodacom SA | 70% |
| Rain | 69% |
| Cell C | 63% |
| Telkom SA | 60% |
The importance of having the best network
While many consumers may find the importance of network quality surprising, Vodacom and MTN have known this for years.
They continue to invest billions into their networks each year – money which could have been spent on dividends for shareholders or bonuses for executives.
They know that unless they have a world-class network, they will lose subscribers and struggle to compete.
Vodacom and MTN also know they do not have to be the cheapest. They just have to offer the best service.
Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub said they have never tried to be the cheapest. Instead, their focus is on providing a quality service.
There is also a good reason why Vodacom and MTN have been engaged in numerous advertising battles around the claim of having the best network in South Africa.
Industry insiders told MyBroadband the “Best Mobile Network in South Africa” claim is worth billions.
It is clear that having the best network, especially in an age where data has surpassed voice as the main revenue driver, is now more important than ever.
Network quality and customer satisfaction
The table below shows the relationship between network quality and customer satisfaction ratings.
It shows that providers which offer cheaper data have a higher customer satisfaction score than their network quality score. The inverse is true for MTN and Vodacom.
The overall rankings, however, remained the same. This shows a clear link between network quality and customer happiness.
| Network Quality vs Customer Satisfaction | ||
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Network Quality Score | Customer Satisfaction |
| MTN SA | 9.69 | 8.36 |
| Vodacom SA | 7.13 | 7.02 |
| Rain | 5.51 | 6.90 |
| Cell C | 5.00 | 6.33 |
| Telkom SA | 4.61 | 6.00 |
Now read: The best and worst mobile networks in South Africa
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