MyBroadband Insights Q1 2026 Mobile Network Quality Report shows that MTN is South Africa’s best mobile network, while Rain remains at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research is based on over 315,000 speed tests conducted by mobile users across South Africa during Q1 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The test combined crowdsourced data and dedicated drive tests to provide a comprehensive assessment of mobile network performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As part of the drive testing, MyBroadband Insights drove 20,000km and tested networks in South Africa\u2019s major cities, towns, and roads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The testing was performed on high-end smartphones that support the latest technologies, as well as mid-range devices that reflect the experience of typical users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MTN dominated the rankings and consistently outperformed its competitors across key metrics. It had the highest average download speed of 83.01 Mbps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was followed by Vodacom at 70.69 Mbps, Cell C at 62.02 Mbps and Telkom at 51.55 Mbps. Rain was in last place at 22.01 Mbps, which is around 25% of MTN’s download speed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
MTN had the top-performing network in major metros, including Tshwane, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, and Mangaung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Its strong performance is attributed to continued investment in infrastructure for both LTE and 5G networks,” said MyBroadband Insights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vodacom had the second-best score overall, with its strong 5G performance offsetting its lower 4G performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Cell C performs well thanks to its strong upload speeds, it is held back by its lack of 5G support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To determine the best mobile network in the country, each network was assigned a \u201cNetwork Quality Score\u201d based on download, upload, and latency speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Network Quality Score, out of 10, shows how a network performs relative to others. MTN was top with a score of 9.77. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vodacom followed at 7.95, trailed by Cell C at 7.85, Telkom at 6.42, and Rain at 4.35. The table below provides an overview of the mobile network rankings in South Africa: <\/p>\n\n\n\n