- 5G coverage in South Africa to increase to 58% by 2025
- Rural access lagged behind; Some provinces below 15% coverage
- Regulator proposes incentives, partnerships to expand rural 5G
South Africa's 5G population coverage is set to increase to 58% in 2025, from 46.6% in 2024, according to the country's telecommunications regulator. Despite the rapid rollout, coverage remains limited, especially in rural areas, as authorities expand ultra-broadband access through 4G and 5G while phasing out 2G and 3G networks.
According to the 2026 edition of the annual ICT sector situation The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) reports the average rural 5G coverage rate across the country's nine provinces is 30.7% in 2025. The lowest levels were in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal at 7%, 13% and 15% of the population respectively. The highest rates were recorded in Gauteng and Mpumalanga at 74% and 63%.
The regulator said that despite the national average coverage rate of 66%, disparities persist in urban areas. Gauteng and the Western Cape had the highest coverage at 89% and 83% respectively, while the Free State and the Northern Cape were close behind at 38% and 41%.
Coverage is quite high for older technologies. In 2025, 3G covered 99.85% of the population, while 4G covered 99.9%. In rural areas, all provinces except the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape recorded full 3G coverage at 94% and 97% respectively. These provinces also had the lowest 4G rural coverage at 89% and 93%.
Regulator proposes measures to address rural gap
To address the shortfall in rural 5G coverage, the regulator outlined a number of initiatives, including aligning incentives with deployment obligations, promoting infrastructure sharing and streamlining authorization processes to expand next-generation coverage beyond major cities and smaller towns. It also identified 5G as a priority area for retraining the workforce.
The measures come as authorities seek to expand ultra-broadband access amid rapid digital transformation. The government aims to phase out legacy technologies in favor of 4G, 5G and future generations, which it deems better able to meet the growing demand for high-speed connectivity from public administrations, businesses and individuals.
Officials initially set a phased shutdown schedule with a December 2027 deadline. However, in September 2025, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Technology canceled the official deadline for operators to shut down 2G and 3G networks. The new approach aims to ensure a gradual transition that does not exclude users still dependent on older devices.
Smartphone affordability remains a barrier
Access to compatible devices, especially smartphones, remains the main barrier to the adoption of new mobile technologies. Cost remains a barrier, with handsets still out of reach for many.
According to ICASA data, entry-level models are available from 399 rand ($23.66), “providing an affordable option for many consumers and making smartphone ownership increasingly accessible across the country.” At the upper end, premium devices cost up to 76,999 rand and include advanced technology and design, the regulator said.
ICASA data shows that of the 117.3 million mobile subscriptions recorded in 2025, 83.04 million were smartphones, a penetration rate of 70.8%. However, this figure is probably higher than actual ownership, as each SIM card is counted as a separate subscription and individuals can hold multiple SIM cards. The same applies to smartphones, which often support dual SIM use.
The World Bank estimates that 67.51% of South Africans aged 15 and over owned a smartphone in 2024.
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