MTN Nigeria has denied allegations that it deliberately deducts subscribers’ data, explaining that smartphone settings, background applications, video streaming and automatic downloads are among the major reasons data bundles run out quickly.
The telecommunications company said many subscribers unknowingly consume large amounts of data through applications and phone settings that continue to use the internet even when they are not actively browsing.
MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of Network Performance, Mike Ndukwe, gave the explanation on Monday in Abuja on the sidelines of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit.
Ndukwe dismissed claims that the company deliberately takes customers’ data, saying that data consumption is often linked to activities on subscribers’ devices.
“We’re not stealing your data. However, we completely understand how it feels, especially right now, where every amount counts. But the honest answer is that data is not taken without an action, either your action or your phone,” he said.
He advised subscribers to review their smartphone settings and monitor their data usage to avoid unnecessary consumption.
According to him, although sending ordinary text messages on WhatsApp generally requires little data, activities such as watching videos, viewing status updates, participating in groups and automatically downloading media files can consume significantly more data.
He also identified applications such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp as platforms that can quickly exhaust data bundles, depending on video quality, automatic playback and download settings.
Ndukwe specifically warned that automatic downloads on WhatsApp could consume subscribers’ data without their knowledge.
“If your WhatsApp is set on auto-download, straight away it hits your data bundle. And that is where you can optimise some of your settings,” he explained.
The MTN official recommended that subscribers disable automatic downloads, reduce video streaming quality, activate data-saving features and regularly check which applications consume the most data.
He said making these adjustments could help customers manage their subscriptions more effectively and reduce unnecessary internet consumption.
MTN Explains Differences in Data Usage Calculations
Also speaking, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of IT Operations, David Ogunsola, explained that the amount of data recorded on a customer’s device might differ from the volume measured across the company’s network and used for billing.
According to him, the differences could result from the methods used to measure data consumption, background internet traffic and the timing of data sessions.
“The data that you measure on your devices is slightly different from what traverses over the network and what’s on the charge,” Ogunsola said.
He further explained that the type of network a subscriber uses, whether 3G or 4G, mainly determines the speed at which internet activities are completed rather than directly determining the amount of data consumed.
He noted that video quality, application settings and individual browsing habits play more significant roles in determining how much data subscribers use.
MTN CEO Explains Factors Behind Data Costs
Meanwhile, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, addressed concerns about the cost of telecommunications services, explaining that the company faces substantial expenses in maintaining its network infrastructure.
Toriola said MTN bears significant costs associated with providing electricity and transportation to its network sites across Nigeria and some other African countries.
“Please understand that this country, as well as a few other African countries, we are providing power and transportation to all of our sites,” he said.
His comments highlighted some of the operational expenses telecommunications companies face in maintaining network services, which can influence the overall cost of providing connectivity to consumers.
MTN’s explanations come amid persistent complaints by Nigerian subscribers over the speed at which their data bundles are exhausted and the rising cost of internet access.
The company urged customers to pay closer attention to their phone settings and application activities to better understand their consumption patterns and make their data subscriptions last longer.
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