Eternal enemies – the ‘best network’ battle between Vodacom and MTN

Vodacom has recently committed to amending its claim of being “South Africa’s #1 Network” following a complaint from MTN.

MTN lodged a complaint with the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), arguing that Vodacom’s claim is unsubstantiated and creates the false impression of objective superiority.

Instead of fighting the complaint, Vodacom agreed to amend its advertising to clearly state that it is the top network based on customer numbers.

Vodacom said it has 55 million customers, significantly higher than MTN’s 40 million, Telkom’s 24 million, and Cell C’s 7.5 million.

On the surface, this complaint may appear to be a storm in a teacup. However, this is part of a war between Vodacom and MTN that has been raging for three decades.

The two top networks have been fierce competitors since they launched their services in 1994, and one of the accolades they fight for is having the best network.

Network quality has been a key differentiating factor for consumers when choosing a mobile network, and having the best network is more than just bragging rights for Vodacom and MTN.

However, simply claiming to have the best network does not work. The ARB’s Code of Advertising Practice dictates what you can and cannot claim.

MTN and Vodacom are funders and members of the ARB and abide by the Code of Advertising Practice, which means they must substantiate any claim in their marketing material.

There are companies which measure network quality, including MyBroadband Insights, Ookla, and Umlaut. According to the most recent reports, MTN remains the leader.

MyBroadband Insights’ Q2 2025 Mobile Voice Network Quality Report showed that MTN has the best voice network in South Africa.

MyBroadband Insights’ Q2 2025 Mobile Network Quality Report further showed that MTN’s data network significantly outperformed Vodacom’s.

Considering these findings, it is challenging for Vodacom to claim it has the best network, as it is clearly lagging behind MTN.

The network quality battle between Vodacom and MTN

The battle between Vodacom and MTN over having the best network started in the 1990s, and became so heated that former President Nelson Mandela had to step in to calm the situation.

At the time, Vodacom accused MTN of using underhanded tactics to outperform Vodacom in a network quality contest.

Former Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig fought the battle in the media and also decided to take MTN to court for defamation.

However, before the court battle proceeded, Mandela intervened and invited Knott-Craig and former MTN CEO Bob Chaphe to his residence.

Mandela told Knott-Craig and Chaphe that it was not good for the country to have its top mobile network operators at odds with each other.

“There has to be another way. Why don’t you go into my private study and see if you can come up with a solution to all this? Come back and let me know what you decide,” Mandela reportedly told the CEOs.

Although they were fierce enemies and were not on speaking terms before the meeting, they agreed to find an amicable solution. Things calmed down after that.

However, it was not long before the competition between Vodacom and MTN to have the best network in South Africa heated up again.

Over the next two decades, the mobile operators lodged numerous complaints about network quality at the ARB, and its predecessor, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

When Vodacom was shown to have the best network by objective research, which was the case for over a decade, it fiercely defended its position and its ‘best network’ claim.

Even after the tables turned following MTN’s investment of R50 billion in its network over five years, Vodacom still wanted to use its ‘best network’ claim.

When MyBroadband Insights and Ookla showed MTN had the best network, Vodacom jumped to Sacsi and Umlaut. This resulted in complaints from MTN.

The latest ARB complaint is, therefore, a continuation of the ‘best network’ war between Vodacom and MTN, which has been raging for 30 years.

With both companies spending around R10 billion each year to improve their networks, and wanting to make the most of this investment, this war will continue for many years to come.