MTN held talks with the country’s communications regulator, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), as part of efforts to tackle persistent challenges in the telecoms sector, from high data costs to uneven digital access.

The meeting, held on Thursday, focused on reducing communication costs, scaling digital infrastructure, supporting e-government services, and fostering innovation through closer public-private collaboration.

Yolanda Cuba, MTN South Africa’s incoming Deputy CEO, said the company sees constructive engagement with regulators as key to building a more inclusive telecoms ecosystem.

“We are committed to ensuring every South African has access to reliable, affordable, and innovative digital services,” Cuba said. “Working closely with ICASA is essential to making that a reality.”

ICASA has been rolling out policies to lower communication costs for years, including cutting mobile call termination rates from R1.25 ($0.072)  in 2006 to R0.12 ($0.0069)  in 2018. These measures have helped push down voice call prices, but data costs and infrastructure disparities remain a challenge, especially in rural and underserved areas. Termination rates are what one network charges another to carry a call to its users. High rates often lead to expensive calls for consumers.

MTN said its Ambition 2025 strategy continues to guide its investment in next-generation infrastructure. The company is accelerating 4G and 5G rollout, upgrading existing networks, and expanding initiatives like Smartphone for All, which aims to make internet-ready devices more affordable.

The telecoms giant also highlighted the growing role of e-government platforms in improving public service delivery from e-filing and digital identity systems to cybersecurity operations centres. However, MTN stressed that successful implementation depends on stronger partnerships between the government, the private sector, and citizens.

The engagement was part of MTN’s wider multi-stakeholder engagement programme, which seeks to build collaboration between industry, government, and civil society.

“Today’s engagement is not just about regulation, it’s about collaboration,” said ICASA Chairman Mothibi Ramusi. “Together, we can harness technology to bridge the digital divide and position South Africa as a global digital contender.”