New research reveals South African 5G users spent just 11.1% of their connected time on 5G in the first quarter of 2026.
Although South Africa was an early adopter of 5G technology, 4G still anchors the daily mobile experience of local users.
This is according to the latest datasets compiled by Opensignal, which reveal that users with 5G-capable smartphones spent the majority (86.1%) of their connected time on 4G in the first quarter of this year (Q1 2026), and just 11.1% on 5G.
For users across the board, it says 5G accounted for 3.7% of connected time.
Another key finding shows the average 5G download speed reached 196.4Mbps, nearly five times faster than 4G at 39.4Mbps. Upload was 22.5Mbps on 5G against 8.1Mbps on 4G.
As a result, the analysis has determined that South Africa’s 5G challenge is network reach, not adoption. “When users connect to 5G, they experience faster speeds and better consistent quality than on 4G. The challenge is persistence: users aren’t connected to 5G often enough to materially change the national mobile experience.
“Limited time on 5G is not a sign that South Africa’s 5G underperforms. When users do connect, the advantage over 4G is substantial.”
South Africa’s 5G is faster than 4G connectivity.
South African mobile data-only network operator Rain was the first telco to activate a commercial 5G network in September 2019.
MTN, Telkom and Vodacom followed suit in 2020, rolling out 5G in the country at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic after telecoms regulator the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) assigned temporary spectrum, to ease network congestion and maintain good quality of broadband services for consumers.
This market trend hasn’t slowed down, with research firm Africa Analysis revealing last year that local telecoms service providers continue to ramp up 5G network deployment.
The company’s 2025 SA 5G Report said the South African 5G market has entered a dynamic growth phase, with major telecoms operators, including MTN and Vodacom, leading the expansion of 5G coverage.
According to Africa Analysis, as of December 2024, over 50% of the population had access to 5G networks. It also forecast that 5G population coverage would reach 60% by December 2025.
The increase in adoption was driven primarily by the increasing affordability of 5G-enabled handsets and expanding network coverage, with forecasts signalling a rise to 42 million 5G subscribers by 2029, with population coverage expected to reach 73%, according to its report.
According to ICASA, 5G population coverage reached 58% in 2025, up from 46.6% a year earlier, with rollout concentrated in urban areas.
Despite this, users with 5G devices spent nearly eight times more connected time on 4G than on 5G in Q1 2026, reports Opensignal.
“Device affordability isn’t the barrier either; entry-level 5G handsets are now widely available across South Africa. The constraint is how often the network delivers 5G – and that comes down to which spectrum operators have put it on.”
Users with a 5G device spent nearly eight times more connected time on 4G.
Further, according to the report, South Africa’s 5G runs almost entirely on mid-band.
Low-band frequencies – 700MHz (99.7% 4G) and 800MHz (100% 4G) – remain on long term evolution (LTE).
ICASA’s 2022 spectrum auction provided operators access to 700MHz, 800MHz, 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz. However, in Q1 2026, mid-band carried almost all observed 5G traffic.
During the period under review, 3.5GHz usage was entirely 5G, while 2.6GHz acted as the main transition band – 23% on 5G, 77% still on 4G. The bands carried almost all observed 5G usage.
By contrast, the low-band coverage layer remains LTE-led – 700MHz was 99.7% 4G and 800MHz 100% 4G.
“South Africa has built a 5G capacity layer, not a 5G coverage layer. Mid-band delivers strong speeds in good conditions, low-band is what keeps users connected indoors and at the edges of coverage. As long as low-band stays on LTE, 5G stays a layer users pass through briefly rather than one they stay on.”
Time spent on network by generation.
According to Opensignal, the spectrum to extend 5G already exists, noting that South Africa’s 5G story is not about proving the technology works.
It’s about why a network that performs well is reaching so few users, so rarely.
Using fellow BRICS nation India as an example, Opensignal points out that the country uses low-band alongside mid-band spectrum, and achieved 34.6% 5G connectivity time in Q1 2026, against South Africa’s 3.7%.
“The answer sits in operator deployment decisions, not in spectrum availability or device penetration,” it notes. “Until low-band moves to 5G, the everyday mobile experience stays on 4G. The stronger network is already there. It’s just not switched on for most people.”
