MTN demonstrated its infrastructure upgrades, showing off its long-term evolution (LTE) network experience, at an event in Johannesburg yesterday.
MTN's store, in the Sandon City mall, played host to the event where its enhanced network was put to the test.
MTN says its network "has, in numerous independent surveys, consistently performed as the fastest and the most consistent in capacity and experience, outperforming competitors".
Krishna Chetty, GM of radio optimisation and planning at MTN, says latest speed tests showed "our LTE download speed was 33.89Mbps and upload speed at 8.48Mbps. The speeds are up to 10 times faster than 3G and twice as fast as our main competitor. Our LTE customers can upload a photo in six seconds, download a song in four seconds and [our network] allows movie downloads in minutes, as well as apps, almost instantly."
Chetty notes MTN's LTE network performance is consistently fast and offers "seamless user experience to customers".
MTN cites an Ericsson prediction which says 50 billion connections will be required by 2020. "As a result of this, we have already seen a drastic increase in data consumption with consumers demanding seamless connectivity. Consumers are demanding broadband anywhere, continuous access to content everywhere and on any device," says the operator in a statement.
"We have greatly invested in our LTE network and have reached many milestones in developing faster communication access, such as establishing new remote hubs, beefing-up existing switches, as well as remote hubs in construction," the statement says.
MTN says its evolution has taken it "from 99% 2G coverage to 75% 3G coverage and connecting three million consumers through LTE to date; and the company has re-farmed 10MHz of 1 800 spectrum in most areas".
"The deployment of LTE in Sandton and across the country is part of our strategy to invest in better and faster networks, making our customers' lives a whole lot brighter by providing them with technology that gives a seamless and enhanced lifestyle experience," says Chetty.
New and existing customers will be able to experience MTN's LTE network by testing smart devices in store, Chetty adds.
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