Microwave connectivity remains a strategic asset in South Africa’s evolving broadband future.
This is one of the takeaways from a new report by market research firm Africa Analysis – Microwave Connectivity Market in South Africa.
The report discusses the various types of wireless connectivity present in the market and focuses on the microwave market – types of operators, mobile operator microwave strategies, services provided and service pricing, market size and forecast, microwave equipment vendors. The report also profiles the main microwave operators.
Microwave connectivity refers to the use of high-frequency radio waves (typically between 1GHz and 100GHz) to transmit data wirelessly between two fixed locations. It’s a key technology in telecommunications, especially where fibre connections are unavailable or costly to deploy.
The report reveals that the country’s microwave broadband sector continues to play a vital role in bridging structural gaps in national fibre coverage.
Africa Analysis says despite rapid fibre expansion, microwave remains essential for providing enterprise-grade connectivity, resilient mobile backhaul, and affordable broadband access in peri-urban and rural regions.
Among the key findings, it notes that the microwave connectivity market in South Africa is characterised by national, regional and wholesale operators. These use both licensed and unlicensed spectrum frequencies to deliver services targeting large enterprises, SMMEs, consumers and backhaul links to mobile towers.
Microwave continues to play a key role in the digital infrastructure mix to achieve full digital inclusion.
According to the market research firm, at the end of 2024, the market comprised more than 176 000 links, and the microwave connectivity market was estimated to have been valued at R8.3 billion at the end of 2024.
It states that while the overall market is expected to grow modestly over the next five years (CAGR 2.9%), microwave technology will remain a cornerstone of SA’s digital infrastructure strategy – supporting high-speed, low-latency and service-level-agreement-backed connectivity across business, government and community networks.
“It is a cornerstone of digital infrastructure, bridging structural gaps in fibre rollout and enabling scalable broadband access across diverse geographies and market segments,” says the firm.
The technology’s continual evolution ensures microwave is not merely a “stop-gap solution” but has a sustainable future as an indispensable element of telecommunications infrastructure, it adds.
Andre Wills, MD of Africa Analysis Team, says: “The role of microwave is poised to remain strategic. Emerging trends – including E-band densification, mmWave spectrum reallocation, and intelligent interference mitigation in unlicensed bands – will further enhance microwave’s relevance in both business and residential broadband markets. Hybrid models combining fibre and microwave are also gaining traction, especially in business parks and smart city deployments.”
The firm points out that key developments include the expansion of mobile virtual network enablement platforms from two in 2020, to 11 by mid-2025, and the onboarding of new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) hosts MTN and Vodacom, joining long-standing enabler Cell C.
Africa Analysis explains that these shifts signal a more diversified and competitive wholesale mobile environment that continues to attract financial, retail and digital brands seeking to extend customer engagement through mobile services.
“The 2025 Outlook Report forecasts continued acceleration, with South Africa’s MVNO subscriber base projected to reach between 12.3 million and 15.9 million by 2030, driven by banking and retail entrants such as Capitec Connect, FNB Connect and Shoprite’s K’nect Mobile,” it concludes.
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