South African mobile users spent just 3.7% of their connected time on 5G in Q1 2026, compared to 34.6% in India. Despite 58% population coverage and 5G-capable devices being widely available, users with 5G handsets still spend 86.1% of their time on 4G. Opensignal's analysis attributes this to operators deploying 5G only on mid-band spectrum (3.5GHz), while low-band frequencies (700MHz and 800MHz) remain almost entirely on 4G. Low-band is critical for indoor coverage and cell-edge reach, but operators are reluctant to refarm it due to its role carrying existing LTE traffic. The result is a 5G capacity layer without the coverage layer needed to keep users connected, meaning 5G remains a brief passthrough rather than a sustained experience.
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Read: South Africa’s 5G boom is bypassing rural areas: Icasa565 Impressions