South Africans are suddenly happy with their mobile networks. Or at least, they are happy enough not to leave.
Despite rising data prices and lingering frustration with customer service, millions of people are choosing to stay with Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Cell C. The days of mass “number porting” — switching networks while keeping the same phone number — appear to be over.
And the numbers prove it.
Porting Rates Have Collapsed
According to the Number Portability Company (NPC), which manages the system that allows South Africans to switch networks without losing their numbers, the monthly average of people porting has dropped dramatically.
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August 2020: 77,019 portings per month
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June 2026: Only 19,318 portings per month
That is a drop of nearly 75%.
Since November 2006, more than 14.7 million South Africans have ported their numbers at some point. But the trend has slowed to a crawl. The NPC — jointly owned by Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom, and Liquid Telecom — was created in 2006 to give customers power. Instead, that power is barely being used.
So Why Are Customers Staying?
On the surface, this looks like customer loyalty. But the real reasons are much more practical — and a little depressing.
1. A New Number Is a Spam Trap
South Africa has a massive problem with spam calls and recycled numbers. When you buy a new SIM card, you often get a number that belonged to someone else. That means you inherit their problems:
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Debt collectors calling at all hours
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Non-stop marketing spam
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Confused friends and family members
The scale is shocking. South Africans received over 30 billion spam calls in 2025 alone. And in early 2026, that number increased by another 20%.
Getting a completely “clean” number is almost impossible. For most people, sticking with their current number — even if their network isn’t perfect — is simply safer.
2. Voice Calls Don’t Matter Anymore
The mobile number itself has lost most of its value. South Africans no longer use voice calls as their primary form of communication. WhatsApp, Telegram, and other data-based apps have taken over.
Your phone number is now mostly used for:
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Two-factor authentication (banking, apps, logins)
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WhatsApp registration
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Ignoring unknown callers
As long as data works well enough for streaming and messaging, there is little reason to risk the chaos of switching.
3. Networks Have Gotten Better (Finally)
For years, mobile operators spent billions just to keep their networks running during crippling power cuts (load-shedding). Now that the national grid is more stable, they have shifted from survival mode to real improvement.
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MTN now leads with average download speeds of 83 Mbps
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Vodacom has improved web browsing and YouTube streaming
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Cell C competes strongly on overall internet performance
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Telkom leads on aggressive data pricing
The competition is fierce, and it is pushing all four major operators to improve. Customers may not love their network, but for most, it is now “good enough.”
Porting Is Still Possible — But Few Bother
Number portability was introduced in 2006 to give South Africans freedom. The NPC runs a Central Reference Database that tracks every porting request and updates network routing.
In theory, switching is easy. In practice, most people don’t see the point.
As one industry observer put it: “Better the devil you know.”
Fear and Convenience Beat Loyalty
South Africans are not necessarily happy with their mobile operators. They are just more afraid of what happens if they leave.
A new number likely means spam hell. A new network might not be much better. And with voice calls already dead, the only real question is whether your data works.
For now, Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Cell C can breathe easy. Their customers aren’t going anywhere.
