4G Tariffs Comparison: MTN, Ntel and Smile

With MTN’s 4G test run in progress, we can say that “technically” Nigeria now has three 4G LTE mobile networks active. This article highlights the 4G tariffs available on each of these LTE mobile networks in the country. First, here is the list of 4G LTE mobile networks at this time:

1. Smile
2. Ntel
3. MTN-Visafone

Which of them you embrace will be dependent on a number of factors, the most essential being coverage and tariff. As such, in this article, I will give you a fair idea of what currently obtains on ground.

Smile 4G Tariffs

Let’s kick off with Smile. You can buy 1GB of data for N1,000 valid for 30 days, but your maximum speed is limited to 2Mbps. There’s 5GB (30 days) for N5,000, and you can also get 10GB for N9,000. While there are other bundle plans available, Smile also lets you browse on a pay as you use basis. In this case, your usage is billed directly from your airtime without the need for an active data bundle. So you can buy N300 airtime and browse with it if your needs are minimal. Smile also offers weekend and night plan, as well as an UnlimitedPremium plan that is capped at maximum speed of 4Mbps. The speed drops to 2Mbps when you cross 100GB of usage and drops further to 512Kbps when you cross 200GB of use in the month. Validity is 30 days and it will cost you N19,800.

Ntel 4G tariffs

Ntel is currently offering only unlimited data plans. That means there are no data caps. They have kept things simple too, giving subscribers three plans to pick from. The base plan gives you two days of unlimited use for N1,000. The Weekly plan gives you 7 days of unlimited access for N3,000, while the Monthly plan gives you 30 days of unlimited use for N10,000.

MTN-Visafone 4G tariffs

MTN-Visafone (let’s just call it MTNV; no?) is the newest kid on the block. The base bundle plan available costs N449 for 150MB for 24 hours. But you can also get 10G for N5,000 only, valid for 30 days, or 15GB for 30 days at the cost of N9,999. There are other plans available too, but one thing is clear: MTNV 4G plans are not as cheap as the regular MTN data plans. It also has to be said that MTNV is still in test phase and accessible only to former Visafone lines that migrated to MTN.

Wrapping Up

Which 4G mobile network you go with will depend on your usage patterns, budget and coverage. As far as tariffs are concerned, Ntel offers simplicity while Smile and MTNV give you a wide range of options to pick from.

In terms of coverage, at the moment, Ntel has the smallest footprint (Lagos, Abuja), followed by MTNV (Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Sagamu, Abuja, Kaduna, Port Harcourt). Smile has the largest 4G footprint yet in Nigeria (Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja, Benin City, Kaduna, Onitsha and Asaba).

In terms of speed, there isn’t much to pick from. Random speedtests across these three LTE networks show that you can expect 2Mbps to 10Mbps for most plans and scenarios. Anything outside of this range is the exception.

Author: Mister Mobility

Master storyteller and founder of Mobility Nigeria, Mister Mobility, has used and reviewed hundreds of mobile phones since 2001.