MTN Ghana Blames Data Depletion Reports on 4G/5G Network Transition

MTN Ghana has responded to growing concerns from customers about rapid data depletion, dismissing accusations that the telecom giant is stealing users’ data. The telecoms giant said it is partly responsible for rapid data depletion; from 3G and 4G networks to 5G, as well as increased video streaming usage. The explanations were made by MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett at his one-year anniversary celebration at MTN House, Accra.

Stephen Blewett, who has worked across multiple continents, said customers complain that their phones do not have enough data. “Not just MTN,” he told Afgea, adding that such complaints were common in every market he has been in. But he maintains that there is no indictment of any wrongdoing. “I have heard ‘You’re stealing my data’ in every country I’ve worked in and certainly not just at MTN, ” he said. He added that customers need not fear that MTN Ghana will steal their data as the company’s bonus and its financial standing depend on revenue declared to customers. “If I steal data then I cannot report it to them, I would lose my bonus,” he added.

The slowdown in data consumption, the chief executive said, has more to do with improved network quality, which enables YouTube and other websites to automatically scale video quality up if the broadband signals are strong, the CEO told reporters. The move results in a faster data use, Blewett said, similarly analogizing better connectivity to Pac-Man, which is said to have “eat up” more data more quickly than slower networks.

MTN Ghana further assured customers of its commitment to transparency and accuracy. The company undergoes regular audits by independent bodies to ensure compliance and prevent billing errors. Additionally, an internal revenue assurance team monitors discrepancies to avoid incorrect billing or revenue leaks. Blewett stressed that MTN Ghana operates under strict financial regulations, making it impossible for the company to benefit from any form of data manipulation.

The issue of MTN Ghana Data Depletion Reports has sparked frustration among subscribers in both Ghana and Nigeria. Many customers have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction over what they perceive as unfair data usage. A Ghanaian user on X (formerly Twitter), @danmclaryea, complained about unexplained data loss and sought resolution from MTN Ghana. Another user, @hazel_ivyd, shared his experience of losing 6GB of data within 45 minutes while watching a movie. In response, MTN Ghana advised these users to share their contact numbers for further investigation into their data usage.

Thousands of subscribers have complained that they are being charged an absurd amount of money for calls and data by several telecom operators in West Africa, and in Nigeria, subscribers have appealed to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate unexplained data consumption.

Although he acknowledges the frustration of many customers, Blewett again underlined that many of these have been driven by the adoption of 3G and 4G networks to 5G, adding only one million of the 28. 5 million active mobile devices are 5G enabled. This therefore still has an impact on how many people use the networks and their behavior.

MTN Ghana’s explanation, read in part here, explains how increasing speeds of the network technology can bring about increased data consumption with no intentional intervention by operators. The company continues to provide reliable services in spite of the recent (MTN Ghana Data Depletion Reports) on 4G/5G Network usage which raised concerns on service quality.

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