Telecommunications group MTN is accelerating its position as the industry’s go-to network backbone partner as many public- and private-sector players prioritise network and digital information and communication tools in their economic reconstruction and recoveries.

Ramping up the number of innovative enablement solutions it can deliver at speed and with added cost and efficiency benefits, MTN aims to become the number one digital network and service provider of choice to the wholesale market in South Africa by 2025 through its new National Wholesale unit.

This is in line with MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy, particularly around the pillar of network-as-a-service.

“Our aim is to create shared value by placing our partners at the centre of all we do. The recent success of the Cell C transition is a perfect example of this value creation in action as we continue to build and grow our presence aggressively in a market crying out for a trusted, innovative and cost-efficient partner,” says MTN South Africa wholesale executive Quintus de Beer.

Cell C recently brought forward the completion of the transition of its network operations to its new operating model, which involves the deactivation of its own physical radio infrastructure and moving to a virtualised radio access network hosted by MTN.

This eliminates the need for costly investment and the operational management of physical towers and network sites by Cell C.

“MTN National Wholesale is a trusted connectivity partner for South African businesses and households and the network and partner of choice that connects other networks, such as Cell C, Telkom and Liquid,” says De Beer, highlighting how the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) market in South Africa is maturing rapidly and creating enhanced value and entry points.

MVNOs do not own the wireless network infrastructure over which they provide services but can gain major market share, owing to added agility and speed once they gain access to network services at wholesale rates.

In line with this, the collective market share of MVNOs will double in the next two to three years and account for 10% to 12% of mobile subscribers in five years, according to the MVNO Market Report by BMIT.

“MTN is at the forefront of this surge and an early adopter of this exciting opportunity to broaden access to the digital world for more people,” De Beer says.

“The bigger, broader market this model creates is good for everyone as it helps users get access to the digital solutions they need, while helping prospective MVNOs to gain a share of selected target markets and boost job creation, which will ultimately contribute to the growth of the entire digital economy.”

MVNOs form a large part of MTN’s wholesale partner proposition and aligns with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s ambitions of introducing smaller players into the sector.

“To achieve its goals over the next two years, MTN is driving connectivity through an array of connectivity value propositions that enable work and play. Our products and services use MTN’s leading network infrastructure, and we are continuously investing in new infrastructure to extend our network coverage,” says De Beer.

“MTN National Wholesale is open for business for small and large players. We are committed to ensure more people gain enhanced access to the digital world in 2023 and beyond. Immense strides are being made and, if we all work together, the only way is up,” he concludes.