MTN secretly locks down 4G broadband customers in South Africa
January 30th 2026
MTN quietly implemented a new rule on 1 January 2026, locking the SIM cards of fixed wireless customers with older LTE/4G routers to the device.
Afrihost, a major Internet service provider which also resells MTN fixed wireless products, notified its customers of the change on Thursday.
“As of 1 January 2026, MTN implemented a new rule. SIM cards used in 4G routers that are four years or older have been permanently linked to their current device,” stated Afrihost.
“This means that if your SIM card is lost or damaged and requires replacement, your existing 4G router will no longer be able to reconnect to the MTN network using a new SIM.”
Afrihost explained that should the customer’s SIM or router need to be replaced in future, they will need to purchase both a new SIM card and a new router.
“Because your current router is an older 4G model, now is an ideal time to upgrade to a device that provides faster, more stable and more reliable connectivity,” it said.
Afrihost said that a 5G router offers significant advantages over older 4G models, including better performance, even on 4G coverage, and support for more devices without slowing down your connection.
It emphasised that no 5G coverage is required to benefit from upgrading to a 5G router, as it will deliver faster speeds and improved stability compared to an older 4G router.
This means faster and more reliable Internet for streaming, browsing, and video calls. A more modern router also means improved Wi-Fi range and performance, especially in larger homes or offices.
“Upgrading to a 5G router ensures you receive the best possible performance, stability, and long-term network support,” Afrihost stated.
Contacted for comment, MTN directed MyBroadband back to Afrihost, saying it was responsible for customer support.
“The customer should contact Afrihost directly, as our ISP partners supply and support the routers provided to their end-customers,” said MTN.
Afrihost said MTN’s decision was driven by a focus on network stability and improved performance, with an emphasis on better using its underutilised 5G network to enhance the overall client experience.
“This change will primarily affect clients using older 4G devices,” Afrihost explained.
“If such a device is damaged, lost, or cancelled, the SIM will be locked to that device and cannot be reused, meaning the client would need to obtain a new supported device and SIM to continue using an MTN-based service.”
Afrihost said the change won’t directly affect ISPs, as 4G devices more than 4 years old are typically out of warranty and would not be replaced in any case.
“We have already transitioned to selling only 5G devices, priced reasonably, to ensure that all new devices supplied by Afrihost are fully compliant with current network requirements,” it said.
“Clients who wish to continue using their existing 4G devices may still do so on other Afrihost-supported networks, such as Telkom or Vodacom, for the time being. This allows affected clients to remain with Afrihost without being immediately forced to purchase a new device.”
MTN starts throttling and stops selling 4G
MTN stopped selling its fixed LTE products through third-party Internet service providers last year and implemented a hidden network optimisation algorithm to manage its 4G network capacity.
The network optimisation algorithm is a safety net that adds a layer of throttling on top of MTN’s existing Fair Usage Policy (FUP) for uncapped products.
Two industry sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told MyBroadband about the secret changes MTN implemented last year.
“They weren’t forthcoming with ISPs at first. They encouraged ISPs to push users from 4G to 5G and said 5G users will have a much better experience,” one source said.
At first, MTN pushed ISPs to sell 5G routers, even if customers were not in a 5G area, to help ease congestion on its LTE network.
It also implemented a hidden 30-day rolling window FUP to curb high usage on its LTE network. This is in addition to the FUP restrictions already enforced, which differ between ISPs.
For example, Afrihost offers 20Mbps, 50Mbps, 100Mbps, and Wireless Plus packages with FUP thresholds ranging from 100GB to 500GB.
Once a subscriber exceeds the FUP thresholds for a package, their speeds can be throttled to between 1Mbps and 50Mbps, depending on which threshold was exceeded.
MTN’s new network optimisation algorithm segments customers into seven tiers (Tier 0-6) and applies additional restrictions on their connections to alleviate network congestion.
“Using dynamic decision-making, the system evaluates real-time and historical network conditions — considering congestion, peak hours, device type, and usage — to apply optimisation rules,” it stated.
When asked for comment on the additional throttling, MTN explained that it offers both capped and uncapped Home Internet plans, and that its FUP applies only to uncapped packages.
“For customers whose Home Internet needs have grown beyond their current plan, they can top up using a range of offers to either boost or restore their speed during the final days of the month,” it said.
“In addition, the flexibility of the MTN Home Internet portfolio allows customers to switch to larger or smaller plans as their needs or budget change.”
MTN said that once uncapped Home Internet customers reach their monthly data thresholds, the fair usage policy ensures continued connectivity by gradually adjusting speeds based on usage thresholds.
“This approach helps maintain a balanced and consistent network experience for all users whilst keeping customers connected. MTN needs to ensure a good network experience for all mobile and Home Internet customers.”
MTN said it still sells Home Internet services in 4G and 5G areas, and stated that all new Home Internet offers include 5G routers regardless of network coverage.
It did not reveal the mechanics of its new rolling 30-day network optimisation algorithm. However, our sources provided the following summary about how MTN determines which tier a subscriber falls into.
| Tier | Usage volume |
|---|---|
| 0 | Under 50 GB |
| 1 | 50 – 100 GB |
| 2 | 100 – 250 GB |
| 3 | 250 – 500 GB |
| 4 | 500 GB – 1 TB |
| 5 | 1 – 3 TB |
| 6 | >3 TB |