MTN Group Limited history, profile and corporate video
MTN Group Limited is a multinational mobile telecommunications company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
MTN was founded in 1994. That year, it rolled out South Africa’s first GSM payphones, which can carry both voice and data.
In 1995, M-Cell became a public company, with 25% of MTN Holdings and 60% of M-Tel. Also that year, MTN offered free calls to emergency services for the first time in South Africa.
In 1996, MTN acquired South Africa’s biggest service provider in M-Tel. MTN also launched the prepaid solution PayAsYouGo and made Short Message Service (SMSs) available to its customers.
In 1997, MTN acquired the services provider Transtel Cellular.
In 1998, MTN International was established. MTN also offered South Africa’s first two-way PC-to-cellphone messaging app as a free and international service.
In 2001, MTN became a tier-one Internet Service Provider (ISP), trading as MTN Network Solutions. It also acquired ISP Citec to enhance data services offering to the business sector.
In 2002, MTN was the first operator in South Africa to offer General Packet Radio Services (GPRS).
In 2003, MTN made South Africa’s first video call, using its new 3G-enabled network.
In 2008, MTN sponsored South Africa’s oldest knock-out football tournament, which becomes MTN 8.
In 2007, MTN introduced online banking services, as well as MultiChoice to provide mobile TV in South Africa.
In 2009, MTN launched mobile money in Benin, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Uganda, and Yemen
In 2010, MTN was the only African global sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. That year, MTN also signed a sponsorship deal with Manchester United F.C.
In 2013, MTN partnered with Rocket Internet, a world-leading internet incubator, to enhance the internet in Africa and the Middle East.
In 2015, MTN acquired the multimedia and telecoms company Smart Village as it starts rolling out fiber-to-the-home across South Africa.
In 2017, MTN Group became a sponsor of the South Africa national rugby union team.
In 2018, MTN partnered with KaiOS Technologies, China Mobile and UNISOC to launch Africa’s First 3G Smart Feature Phone.
In 2018, Supersonic, an Internet service provider, was founded in Johannesburg, South Africa by MTN Group to provide FTTH (Fibre) Internet services.
In 2021, SuperSonic introduced “Air Fibre”, a 5G Based Mobile data service.
MTN Group operates through the followings business segments: Consumer, Business, Digital Services, and Mobile financial services.
Consumer
The MTN Consumer segment focuses on connecting people across the Middle East and Africa through voice and data services.
Business
The MTN Business segment focuses on connectivity, communication and collaboration solutions to SMEs, corporates and the public sector. It involves cloud, Internet of Things, mobility, managed networks, security, and communications solutions.
Digital Services
The MTN Digital Services segment develops platforms in three key focus areas:
- Messaging – instant messaging and communications
- Media – entertainment, video and gaming
- Mobile Advertising
Mobile financial services
The Mobile financial services segment enables people to make financial transactions using their phones, and bringing them entertainment and online shopping through investments in mobile platforms, apps and online ventures.
With more than 19,000 employees and with operations in many African and Asian countries, MTN Group Limited is considered one of the largest mobile network operators in Africa. According to Forbes, it is considered one of the Top 2000 Largest Public Companies in the World.
*Information from Forbes.com, Wikipedia.org, and www.mtn.com.
**Video published on YouTube by “MTN Group“.