South Africa’s telecommunications industry has been struggling with a range of challenges that threaten the reliability of its networks. These challenges include power outages, theft, vandalism, and the growing risks associated with climate change. To maintain consistent and reliable communication services, telecom companies have been forced to take extraordinary measures. These measures include substantial investments in backup power solutions, enhanced security features, and innovative technologies.
In recent years, mobile operators in South Africa have poured billions of rands into bolstering their networks. These investments aim to ensure resilience in the face of widespread power cuts, known locally as “loadshedding,” and other power-related disruptions. Even though loadshedding was suspended in March 2024, the telecom industry still faces prolonged and unplanned outages. These outages are often accompanied by staggered load reductions across metropolitan areas, making network reliability a significant concern.
One of the most pressing issues that telecom companies face is the persistent threat of theft and vandalism. Despite efforts to safeguard their sites, the number of incidents continues to rise. This criminal activity poses a severe threat to connectivity and has a direct impact on the financial health of the companies involved. Operating costs and capital expenditures have increased dramatically as a result of these disruptions.
Vodacom South Africa, one of the country’s leading telecom providers, has been at the forefront of these challenges. According to Vodacom South Africa CEO Sitho Mdlalose, the company has invested over R4.5 billion in network resilience over the last four years. This investment includes the installation of power solutions such as solar panels, batteries, and both mobile and static generators. In addition, Vodacom has enhanced its security measures to protect these critical assets from theft and vandalism.
However, the journey to achieving network resilience has been far from straightforward. Mdlalose explained that the company has faced numerous unforeseen costs along the way. For instance, after deploying power backup solutions at various sites, Vodacom encountered further uncertainty due to ongoing power outages. This uncertainty has made planning and forecasting extremely challenging.
The issue of theft and vandalism has compounded these challenges. Vodacom’s network sites face an average of 700 attacks per month. The stolen items include batteries, mobile generators, and expensive fuel. Due to the increased frequency of these incidents, the company’s maintenance call-outs have risen significantly. These additional costs are clearly reflected in the financial statements of South Africa’s telecom companies.
Mdlalose lamented that the capital investment, which could have been used for rolling out 5G, expanding rural coverage, and reducing network congestion, has instead been diverted to maintaining network resilience. Without the burden of loadshedding and its associated costs, Vodacom could have achieved the same results at a fraction of the expense.
MTN and Telkom, two other major players in South Africa’s telecom industry, have also invested heavily in mitigating these challenges. MTN South Africa, led by its head of network operations Nontuthuzelo Gugushe, embarked on a network resilience project to ensure uninterrupted connectivity during loadshedding. This project involved the installation of fast-charging lithium-ion batteries, rectifiers, and a large number of generators—both static and mobile.
MTN’s strategy included placing static generators at strategic sites that interconnect with other towers, while mobile generators provided the flexibility to deploy power where it was needed most. In addition to these hardware solutions, the company integrated smart technology to remotely monitor network systems. This technology allows MTN to track battery levels, power failures, and other critical factors in real-time, enabling proactive responses before a site goes offline.
While loadshedding has eased, the national electricity grid continues to experience faults, exacerbated by infrastructure damage from storms and flooding. Many areas have endured power outages lasting up to two weeks, adding to the ongoing challenges posed by load reductions. Mdlalose noted that while the suspension of loadshedding has reduced Vodacom’s fuel consumption, it has also introduced new complexities. The unpredictability of loadshedding’s return and the lack of reliable long-term forecasts make planning difficult for telecom operators.
Despite these challenges, MTN has taken the opportunity to optimize its network settings. The company has fine-tuned how quickly batteries are charged, adjusted the capacity requirements, and refined the parameters on rectifiers. These optimizations are based on the consumption patterns of each tower, which vary depending on the technologies deployed at each site. This approach has allowed MTN to unlock a highly optimized network operation.
Telkom, another key player in the industry, has also developed an energy strategy to mitigate the effects of prolonged loadshedding and other business interruption incidents. This strategy aims to improve the resilience of both its mobile and fixed networks. Telkom has aggressively installed solar panels and lithium-ion batteries at key sites, decommissioned legacy equipment, and implemented various energy-efficiency initiatives.
Telkom’s efforts are focused on reducing its dependence on nonrenewable energy sources. The company is exploring sustainable and cleaner energy options to complement its current energy portfolio. For instance, Telkom has configured its sites to use solar energy as the primary backup source. The company has also upgraded its backup batteries to lithium-ion, which offer greater capacity, faster recharge times, and longer lifespans. To date, Telkom has installed and replaced more than 5,500 lead-acid batteries with lithium-ion batteries at its mobile and exchange sites. The company plans to continue this rollout, with 1,500 additional sites targeted for upgrades.
These mitigation measures are closely linked to broader goals, including energy savings, net-zero ambitions, and sustainability objectives. Vodacom, for example, aims to source 100% of its electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2025. The company has already installed a 6 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at its Midrand Campus. This solar plant generates approximately 10.8 GWh per year, which accounts for about 21% of the headquarters’ power consumption.
Vodacom’s commitment to renewable energy extends beyond its own operations. The company has embarked on a trial program that tests a wheeling platform through a virtual wheeling agreement with Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility. This platform allows Vodacom to feed energy generated from its solar park into the national grid, managing offset credits for energy contributions. Vodacom is also on the verge of signing an independent power producer (IPP) agreement, which will combine wind and solar energy to meet 30% of the company’s consumption needs in phase one.
MTN has also been proactive in pursuing sustainability goals. The company has implemented measures to create “green sites,” ensuring power savings and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Gugushe explained that MTN’s network has been optimized to use batteries first during a power failure before resorting to generators. This strategy not only saves on fuel costs but also minimizes the environmental impact by reducing CO2 emissions.
MTN’s headquarters in Roodepoort is home to a 4.9 MW solar park, which incorporates five different generation technologies, including concentrated solar power, battery storage, gas trigeneration, and diesel generators. The company is exploring further opportunities to expand its adoption of energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy across its operations. Some of MTN’s sites already operate solely on solar power during the day and switch to batteries at night, contributing to its sustainability goals.
As loadshedding remains suspended, MTN continues to optimize its network settings, undertaking upgrades, and closely monitoring the charging and discharging rates of its lithium-ion batteries. These efforts are part of MTN’s broader climate change strategy, which includes an ambitious goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040—ten years ahead of industry guidelines.
Telkom, meanwhile, remains committed to its own Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)-aligned goals of becoming carbon neutral by 2035 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. The company is deploying various technologies, such as solar PV and lithium-ion batteries, to maximize energy security, reduce its carbon footprint, and optimize utility and diesel costs.
