- Swazi MTN Ltd stands as Eswatini’s largest mobile operator and drives digital inclusion.
- The telecommunications sector faces gaps in fibre, regulation and cost, yet mobile money and network upgrades show progress.
Swazi MTN Ltd as the leading mobile operator
Swazi MTN Ltd operates under the brand MTN Eswatini as the main mobile telecommunications company in the Kingdom. It began operations in 1998, the last in the SADC region to introduce a cellphone network. It is a subsidiary of the MTN Group, with shareholding of SPTC holding 41 %, MTN Group 30 %, Eswatini Empowerment Limited 19 % and an esteemed shareholder 10 %. The company offers voice, data services and expanded into ICT services and mobile money. It has over 950 000 subscribers and continues to grow its user base.
Swazi MTN Ltd also has its own autonomous system number, AS327765, and manages several IPv4 address blocks in Eswatini for its mobile and data infrastructure.
Swazi MTN Ltd within Eswatini’s telecom landscape
In the broader context, Eswatini had an almost complete telecom monopoly under the state until 2011. The state operator (EPTC) also acted as regulator and held a stake in MTN.
After reforms, MTN gained a 3G licence and permission to run its own backbone and international gateway. Regulatory arrangements remain contested as MTN challenges EPTC’s proposed re-monopolisation.
MTN Eswatini launched its 3G service in October 2011, and introduced 4G LTE around July 2016 on the 1800 MHz band. The network offers broad geographic coverage—96 %—and reaches 98 % of the population.
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Innovations and social impact by Swazi MTN Ltd
Swazi MTN Ltd introduced Mobile Money (MoMo) in 2011, which has become one of its most important products. It has helped boost financial inclusion by nearly 21 % by the end of 2017, on top of an existing 50 % in 2011.
The company has also invested heavily in community projects through the MTN Foundation since its launch in 2006, including education, health and enterprise development. MTN has sponsored national events and programmes such as the MTN Premier League, the Bushfire Festival, arts awards and cycling events.
Technological upgrades included a 2016 network revamp with Huawei and rollout of LTE services . This has strengthened mobile access and data reliability.
