In an effort to drive adoption of 5G and get consumers off legacy 2G and 3G devices, MTN South Africa is launching an own-branded 5G smartphone.
The MTN Icon 5G will retail for R2,500 (GHS2,163) and provides midrange performance to consumers: components include a 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 6.6-inch touchscreen, 5 000mAh battery, 50-megapixel rear camera and 128GB of flash storage.
The MTN Icon 5G will also be available from R219/month over 36 months on a Core price plan, which includes 1GB of data and 50 calling minutes monthly. Prepaid customers get 21GB of data once-off.
MTN South Africa devices GM Thando Gabela said the phone’s launch is aimed at helping customers transition away from legacy 2G and 3G devices and onto more modern platforms.
“The launch of this affordable 5G smartphone is an essential step in MTN’s strategy to make next-generation connectivity available to a broader base of customers, including those who may not have access to high-end devices,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The new 5G smartphone provides an affordable entry point for customers seeking the benefits of 5G technology, including faster data speeds, lower latency and enhanced user experiences,” it said.
“The smartphone is tailored to meet the needs of South Africans who are ready to migrate from older 2G and 3G networks to 4G and 5G but may not have the budget for high-end devices.”
The MTN Icon 5G appears to be well priced next to rival devices with similar specs. For example, the Hisense H50S 5G phone with 128GB of storage costs R3 150 on Takealot and the Nokia G42 128GB 5G device costs R4 000, also on Takealot.
