Best mobile network in South Africa
MyBroadband Insights has released its Q1 2026 Mobile Network Quality Report, which shows that MTN has the best mobile network in South Africa.
The findings were based on more than 315,000 speed tests conducted by mobile users across South Africa during the first quarter of 2026.
The testing included a combination of crowdsourced data and dedicated drive tests, providing a comprehensive assessment of mobile network performance.
As part of the drive testing, MyBroadband Insights travelled 20,000km and tested networks in South Africa’s major cities, towns, and roads.
Testing was performed on high-end smartphones supporting the latest technologies, as well as on mid-range devices that reflect the experience of typical users.
MTN dominated overall network performance and consistently outperformed its competitors across key metrics.
It recorded the highest average download speed at 83.01Mbps, followed by Vodacom at 70.69Mbps, Cell C at 62.02Mbps, Telkom at 51.55Mbps, and Rain at 22.01Mbps.
MTN was also the top-performing network in major metros, including Tshwane, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, and Mangaung.
Its strong performance was attributed to continued investment in both LTE and 5G infrastructure. Vodacom took second place overall, with its strong 5G performance offsetting its lower 4G performance.
Cell C is performing well thanks to its great upload speeds, but is being held back by its lack of 5G support.
To determine the best mobile network in South Africa, each network was given a “Network Quality Score” out of 10 based on download speed, upload speed, and latency.
It shows how a network performed relative to other networks. MTN reigned supreme with a Network Quality Score of 9.77, followed by Vodacom at 7.95, Cell C at 7.85, Telkom at 6.42, and Rain at 4.35.
The table and infographic below provide an overview of the mobile network rankings in South Africa during Q1 of 2026.
| Network Operator | Download Speed (Mbps) | Upload Speed (Mbps) | Latency (ms) | Network Quality Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTN | 83.01 | 28.15 | 29 | 9.77 |
| Vodacom | 70.69 | 15.52 | 30 | 7.95 |
| Cell C | 62.02 | 29.00 | 39 | 7.85 |
| Telkom | 51.55 | 11.74 | 28 | 6.42 |
| Rain | 22.01 | 10.97 | 27 | 4.35 |
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