Cell C customers will be able to roam onto MTN South Africa’s network in any part of the country after the operators extended their roaming arrangement.
Under the deal, Cell C customers will be able to roam onto more than 12,500 MTN sites, with around 90% of these LTE-enabled. This will mean that 95% of the country’s population will be covered by Cell C’s 4G network.
The beleaguered Cell C will retain full control of its core network, billing, transmission and subscriber management, while MTN will manage the RAN. Additionally Cell C will not relinquish any spectrum and will continue to use its frequencies and licences.
The operators confirmed that the deal was reached following “months of negotiations” and that it “adheres to all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.” The arrangement will commence early next year, but it could take as long as three years before it is fully implemented.
