Image: supplied The study reveals that SMEs - who form the backbone of South Africa’s economy - are facing rising pressure as connectivity directly impacts their ability to operate, serve customers and grow. SMEs describe downtime not as a “technical issue” but a business failure, with connectivity underpinning sales, bookings, payments, delivery management, and staff coordination.
Other studies reinforce this picture: infrastructure gaps, unreliable internet access, and rising operating costs are weakening SME competitiveness, with many business owners concerned about long term survival if connectivity challenges persist.
While the research focuses on SMEs, the pressures are equally felt across growing mid‑market corporates, sectoral operators and small enterprise clusters whose operations depend on reliable connectivity.
A new chapter for SMEs: Reliability, cloud‑readiness, simplicity and human support
In response, Cell C Business, has repositioned its SME offering around a single, powerful conviction: Nothing should stop a South African business because of connectivity. This refreshed proposition reflects three SME driven priorities that combine reliable connectivity, radical simplicity, predictable spend, and human support. Cell C has enhanced the value to SMEs with bespoke cloud solutions that enhance productivity and operational resilience.
“SMEs cannot afford downtime, not even for a moment,” says Chris Lazarus, Chief Officer: Sales, Regions and Customer Care. “They told us they want reliability, simplicity and affordability. They want solutions that work every time, are simple to manage, and come with real human support. We’ve redesigned our entire SME offering around these priorities to mirror their realities and remove the barriers that slow growth.”
Cell C Business is applying the same reliability, simplicity and human‑support principles to SOHOs, large multi‑site businesses and sector‑specific operations that require consistent uptime.
Network strengthened for always on businesses
Cell C’s innovative network model now provides access to more than 28 000 towers, delivering best-available-signal performance nationwide. Independent Opensignal reports show significant gains in network reliability, positioning Cell C among the top performers for reliability and experience.
The assessments show sustained improvements in Cell C’s network reliability and experience metrics, highlighting progress in availability and consistency. These network gains strengthen the foundation for Cell C Business’s uptime‑focused SME proposition.
These improvements benefit businesses of all sizes, from home‑office operators to national enterprises requiring multi‑location continuity.
Solutions designed for real business realities
SMEs do not all look the same, neither do their challenges. Recognising the differences in not only size but digital maturity and operational, Cell C has structured its offering to meet businesses exactly where they are:
- Small Office / Home Office (SOHO) (1 to 9 people): Affordable, Integrated mobile voice & data propositions, Fibre-To-The Business
- Small Businesses (10 to 50 people): Business grade mobile voice & data connectivity, cloud-based Time & Attendance solutions, Fibre-To-The Business
- Medium Businesses (51 to 500 people): Business grade mobile voice and data connectivity, Digital Pen & Formflow solutions, Fibre-To-The Business, Cloud PBX, Time & Attendance
- Corporate/Large Enterprises: Business grade mobile voice and data connectivity, Digital Pen & Formflow solutions, Fibre-To-The Business, Cloud PBX, Time & Attendance, scalable, multisite connectivity supported by dedicated account management.
The study highlights that SMEs deeply value human support and trusted advisors, across every tier, each solution must deliver on the same foundational commitments: reliable connectivity, simplicity, cloud‑ready solutions, and support when it matters most.
A partner in South Africa’s economic growth
“Connectivity is becoming the new driver of economic participation. By showing up as a partner that will walk the journey with the business - not just a provider- we’re helping SMEs stay online, stay productive, adopt cloud tools with confidence, and stay competitive. Nothing should stand in the way of their growth,” concluded Chris.
Ready for reliable, simple, cloud‑ready connectivity and personal service? Cell C Business will walk the journey with you to find the right solution for your business. DM
Visit Cell C business or call 084 1234.