More than half of all South Africans now have access to 5G mobile connectivity, a new report from ICT research firm Africa Analysis shows.
Across the world, there is a race by mobile operators to upgrade their networks to 5G, or the fifth generation of communications services. The technology has much faster internet speeds and stability, compared to prevailing 4G and LTE connections in SA.
The country’s two largest operators, Vodacom and MTN — which have close to 80-million customers between them in the local market — launched their commercial 5G services on temporary spectrum in 2020.
With spectrum allocations having been firmed up at an auction that brought R14bn into state coffers two years later, mobile operators have been on a tear to upgrade their networks, especially as mobile data consumption has become the industry’s biggest money spinner.
Africa Analysis reports that “the South African 5G market has entered a dynamic growth phase, with major telecommunications operators, including MTN and Vodacom, leading the expansion of 5G coverage.”
By December 2024, over 50% of the population had access to 5G networks, “marking a significant milestone in the sector’s development.” This is according to the firm’s 2025 SA 5G Report, which aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SA’s evolving 5G market.
Total revenue generated from 5G services in 2024 reached R28.4bn, with mobile 5G services contributing 76%, while fixed wireless access services generated the other 24%. This revenue was driven by 10.8-million 5G subscribers in SA, recorded by December 2024, comprising mobile and fixed wireless users.
Africa Analysis said this represented a substantial increase in adoption, driven primarily by the increasing affordability of 5G-enabled handsets and expanding network coverage. The firm forecasts a rise to 42-million 5G subscribers by 2029, with population coverage expected to reach 73%.
In recent years, the fixed wireless market has seen much competition. It is said 5G aims to improve quality of service and speeds, now comparable to that of fibre, and is a step up from 4G.
Fibre remains SA’s most affordable, quickest and most stable form of internet access as measured per gigabyte of data. But the upfront costs for consumers — as much as R2,000 in some cases — and the lack of access in less developed parts of the country mean fibre is out of reach for many.
For now, fixed wireless is helping fill that gap. The technology typically uses an internet router or modem device that has a SIM card and can broadcast Wi-Fi signals within a home or business.
According to the study, SA’s largest mobile operator, Vodacom, has emerged as the largest 5G mobile network operator in terms of subscribers and revenue, while Telkom leads the fixed wireless access segment.
Meanwhile, Comsol has positioned itself in the private 5G network space, “a segment that is still in its early stages of development in the country.”
Andre Wills, director at Africa Analysis, said the study “illuminates the dynamic evolution of SA’s telecommunications landscape. The substantial growth observed underscores the industry’s resilience and potential for further expansion. With increasing investment and emerging technologies, the 5G ecosystem is poised for even greater transformation”.
Looking ahead, Wills and his team expect the emergence of 5.5G, also known as 5G advanced, and direct-to-consumer satellite connectivity “to reshape the 5G landscape.”
The 5.5G deployment is projected for private networks from 2026 onwards, while direct-to-consumer satellite connectivity for voice and text messaging is expected from 2027 onwards.
“The introduction of these advancements will further drive connectivity, industry transformation, and the overall digital economy,” the firm said.
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