MTN South Africa has unveiled significant price adjustments for its consumer contracts, set to take effect on February 1, 2025.
The telecommunications giant has attributed these increases to macroeconomic challenges, including network vandalism, theft of batteries and generators, and soaring electricity costs.
The average increase across all contracts is 4.4%, but the changes vary depending on the plan.
Subscription fees for certain plans will increase by as much as 10%, while others remain unchanged.
Out-of-bundle voice rates are also set to rise by an average of 7.0%, adding to the cost for many customers.
In a statement, MTN explained that it has worked to minimize the impact of these adjustments on consumers.
“We have aimed to keep it to a minimum,” the company said.
For example, some key usage charges, such as out-of-bundle data rates (R0.29 per MB), local SMS (R0.35), and local MMS (R0.70), will remain unchanged.
However, customers will face higher charges for other services, such as USSD sessions, which will increase from R0.20 to R0.22 per 20 seconds.
Similarly, itemized billing fees will rise from R19 to R20 per month for applicable plans.
The company insists that the price hikes are essential to maintaining the stability of its network and ensuring quality service.
“Consumer contract price adjustments are essential to maintaining network stability and ensuring customers get the best possible experience,” MTN said.
The adjustments come amid a challenging economic landscape for South African businesses, with many struggling to absorb the rising costs of doing business.
Despite the increases, MTN has assured its customers of its commitment to value, innovation, and connectivity.
“We deeply appreciate the trust our customers have placed in us for the past 30 years, and we remain dedicated to offering the best possible value over the next 30 years,” the company added.
Customers should brace themselves for various adjustments depending on their subscription.
For instance, MTN’s popular “Yellow” plans will see subscription increases ranging from 5% for “Yellow Plus” to 10% for “Yellow Deluxe.”
The new subscription fee for “Yellow Deluxe” will rise from R399 to R439, while “Yellow Essential” will go up by R6 to R105.
On the high end, premium plans such as “Sky Gold” will jump from R1,799 to R1,949, reflecting an 8.3% increase.
Notably, MTN’s “SuperFlex” plans, which include data bundles such as 10GB, 15GB, and 20GB, will see no changes in subscription fees, offering some relief to customers.
However, users of the “Mega Gigs” plans will experience increases of up to 9.9%, with the “Mega Gigs XL” plan rising from R709 to R779.
For data-specific plans, such as “Mobile Internet” and “Home Internet,” customers will see hikes ranging between 6.3% and 9.9%.
The cost of “Mobile Internet Ruby,” for instance, will increase by R30 to R359, while the premium “Home Internet Infinite” plan will rise by R86 to R1,085.
Airtime allocations on MTN’s “Mega Flexi” and “Flexi” packages will increase by an average of 18%, helping offset some of the subscription cost increases.
MTN has promised to notify its customers well in advance of the changes.
The company will send SMS or email notifications between December 12, 2024, and January 29, 2025.
