MTN could deliver mobile data at R50 per gigabyte if the government releases more spectrum to mobile network operators.
This is according to Godfrey Motsa, CEO of MTN South Africa, who was speaking at the 2017 MyBroadband Conference.
Motsa said they could also reduce out-of-bundle data prices to the same levels as Telkom mobile – 29c per megabyte.
However, the government has been dragging its feet on releasing spectrum – the capacity wireless networks require to offer connectivity to mobile devices.
Motsa said the government could release more capacity in the 2,600MHz band right now, as those frequencies have been lying dormant.
Should the spectrum be released, it would reduce the amount networks need to spend to expand coverage and increase data speeds.
This in turn will allow them to reduce prices, which will have the greatest impact on South Africa’s poor.
“Spectrum is oxygen for networks. Spectrum reduces prices,” said Motsa
