MTN deploys over 20 000 battery backups on network

Africa’s biggest mobile operator MTN says it has achieved significant milestones to keep customers connected amid SA’s load shedding crisis, with the deployment of more than 20 000 batteries, 5000 rectifiers and around 900 generators at its network sites across the country.

This is part of MTN South Africa’s investment of up to R5 billion into its network, to not only mitigate load shedding but to boost ‘network resilience’ in the face of increased theft and vandalism which ‘remains a concern’ for the group.

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According to MTN, in May of this year South Africans experienced 29 days of stage 5 and 6 load shedding, whereas in 2022 load shedding never increased beyond stage 3 in the same period.

“While there was a brief respite in the second quarter of 2023 with a reduction in load shedding compared to the first quarter, power outages continued to pose a significant challenge to our operations,” MTN SA CEO Charles Molapisi, said on Wednesday.

“During the first half of 2022, there were 68 days with load shedding, but this figure nearly tripled to 181 days in that same period this year,” he noted.

Despite announcing increased network resilience, Molapisi issued a word of warning that theft and vandalism remain a concern.

Cover of darkness

Molapisi said load shedding heightens the vulnerability of cellphone towers to acts of vandalism as criminals often exploit the cover of darkness during these outages to target network sites.

“The equipment installed at these cellphone towers, including copper cables, batteries, air conditioners, and generators, is highly coveted by criminals, who inflict significant damage on network infrastructure, leading to tower malfunctions and disruptions,” he noted.

“While we are doing well on all fronts in shoring up our network resilience during periods of load shedding, and particularly during the higher stages, the criminal activity continues to inflict deteriorated network experiences on our valued customers.”

“But looking at recent figures we are seeing a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel,” added Molapisi.