R1,799 smartphone with great features and 5G

South Africans who want to upgrade their smartphone to the latest cellular technology no longer have to empty their wallets to buy a 5G handset.

Several retailers, including Avo by Nedbank and Mr Price, are selling the ZTE Blade A72 5G for between R1,799 and R1,999, making it an attractive offering for customers who do not want to be left behind by the 2G and 3G switch-off.

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has set 31 December 2027 as the final deadline for switching off the country’s 2G and 3G networks.

The shutdown will commence on 1 June 2025. However, the DCDT hasn’t specified which technology must go first.

“The sequencing for sunsetting of 2G and 3G networks and their related dates will be determined by Icasa subject to conducting an economic and regulatory impact assessment,” it said in the Next-Generation Radio Frequency Spectrum policy.

South Africa’s mobile networks say the high barrier to entry for 5G-capable devices will present a significant challenge through their plans to migrate customers to newer technologies.

Vodacom says demand for 2G and 3G devices is still high due to the challenging economic conditions South Africans face and the unaffordability of 4G and 5G smartphones.

“Transitions of this nature have a significant impact on customers, and we are hopeful that Icasa will work with the industry to develop a practical schedule for sunsetting of legacy technologies during its feasibility study, which we expect to commence shortly,” said Vodacom.

MTN says 2G still plays a vital role in its South African operations, with more than 30% of prepaid devices relying on the technology. It no longer sells 3G devices.

To address this challenge, MTN plans to help South Africans afford 4G-capable devices.

“The measures include increasing the investment towards smart feature devices and continue investing in subsidising 4G entry devices to reduce costs so that our customers can afford to purchase these devices,” it said.

However, this may not be necessary if manufacturers continue selling newer-technology devices at affordable prices, like with the ZTE Blade A72 5G.

ZTE Blade A72 5G

Despite running an older operating system and offering a lower resolution than most entry-level 5G smartphones, the ZTE Blade A72 5G’s price tag makes it an attractive offering for those on a budget.

The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor and runs Android 11.

It features a 6.52-inch IPS display with a 1,600 x 720-pixel resolution and a refresh rate of 90Hz. Regarding performance, the MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip is paired with 4GB of memory.

Many smartphone users need storage space, whether they want to save photos and videos, download content, or not worry about running out of space.

The ZTE Blade A72 5G may leave some customers wanting when it comes to internal storage. However, it supports expandable storage with a microSDXC card, providing up to 2TB of additional storage space.

The handset’s triple rear camera setup allows users to take decent images and record videos at 30 frames per second in 1080p resolution. It also has a five-megapixel selfie camera.

Depending on usage, the ZTE Blade A72 5 G’s 4,000mAh battery should last more than a day. The device supports fast charging, but the rate of fast charging isn’t specified.

The kicker is its support for 5G technology. When MyBroadband compared the most affordable 5G smartphones in April 2024, the next cheapest option was priced at over R3,000.

Some entry-level 5G smartphones are priced at over R5,000.

The table below provides specifications for the ZTE Blade A72 5G.

ZTE Blade A72 5G
OS	Android 11
Display	6.52-inch 1,600 x 720-pixel LCD with 90Hz refresh rate
Processor	Mediatek Dimensity 700
RAM	4GB
Storage	64GB, expandable with microSDXC
Rear camera	13MP + 2MP + 2MP
Front camera	5MP
Cellular	5G
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Ports	USB-C
Biometrics	Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Battery	4,000mAh Li-ion
Dimensions	164.0 x 75.5 x 9.2mm (211g)