Consumers now expect the same ease, flexibility and real-time control from their network providers that they get from streaming platforms and digital banking. They want to change plans without friction, avoid long-term lock-ins, and understand clearly what they’re paying for.
To unpack what’s driving this shift, tech analyst and founder of research agency World Wide Worx, Arthur Goldstuck joined MTN’s Chief Consumer Officer, Ernst Fonternel for a conversation on changing consumer behaviour and how this is reshaping the connectivity landscape.
They also discuss how this shift informed the launch of Pi by MTN, a digital network operator that offers customers a seamless, app- and web-based way to manage both mobile and home connectivity through a single account.
Q: What are the biggest shifts you’re seeing in how consumers engage with connectivity services today?
Arthur Goldstuck: The biggest shift is that consumers have stopped accepting what they’re given. Telecoms has always worked on a simple premise: here’s your bundle, take it or leave it. That model no longer really works for consumers anymore. People now expect to adjust services as their needs change, whether that’s upgrading, downgrading, or cancelling – without jumping through hoops.
We’ve already seen this behaviour in streaming and banking. South Africa isn’t behind on this either; prepaid users have been managing their own connectivity for years. The difference now is that expectation has carried over into postpaid and fixed services.
Ernst Fonternel: Customers have changed faster than traditional telco models have been able to evolve. They’re already managing money, shopping, and entertainment in real time, so it’s natural to expect connectivity to behave the same way.
That’s what shaped Pi. It was designed to give customers more direct control – from instant onboarding to managing services digitally, tracking usage in real time, and adjusting plans as their needs change.
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Q: How have subscription-based and on-demand services changed consumer expectations?
Arthur Goldstuck: Subscription services have reset expectations. If you can cancel Netflix at midnight and it’s gone almost instantly, that becomes your reference point. In that context, a 24-month mobile contract with penalties starts to feel outdated. The shift is not only about price, but about who holds the power. Price still matters, but flexibility is increasingly just as important – sometimes more.
Ernst Fonternel: Younger, digitally active users are reshaping what value looks like. It’s no longer just about price. Customers increasingly value transparency, flexibility and the ability to adapt services in real time. People want to know exactly what they’re getting, change it when they need to, and avoid being locked into something that no longer fits how they live.
Q: Why has telecoms traditionally evolved more slowly than other digital industries?
Arthur Goldstuck: There’s one word that explains why telecoms evolves more slowly: infrastructure. And the cost of that infrastructure is a very real factor. Building network coverage across South Africa required billions in investment, and operators needed predictable, long-term revenue to justify that spend. That’s why fixed contracts made financial sense for so long.
The challenge now is that most of that infrastructure is already in place, but the service model hasn’t always evolved at the necessary pace. Meanwhile, fintech, streaming and other on-demand services have normalised month-to-month, low-friction access.
So, it’s not surprising that people are starting to ask why connectivity still feels more rigid than other digital services.
Ernst Fonternel: That’s exactly why a standalone digital-first experience mattered. Pi gave us the opportunity to design around today’s digital customer from the start – rather than retrofitting a new experience onto older ways of engaging. Customers still benefit from MTN’s network reliability, but the experience itself is built to feel simpler, faster, and more adaptable from the start.
Q: Beyond price, what are consumers really looking for from connectivity providers?
Arthur Goldstuck: Transparency is critical. People want to know what they’re paying for, when it expires, and how changes affect them.
Simplicity is the other big one, being able to manage everything without needing to call a contact centre. Price is still part of the equation, but experience is becoming the real differentiator. The providers who make things easier tend to be the ones people stay with.
Ernst Fonternel: Simplicity was central to Pi from the beginning. Instead of layering complexity on top of existing models, the focus was on clarity and control.
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Customers can see what they’ve bought, track usage in real time, watch how their data, minutes or airtime are being used, and manage everything themselves. That shifts connectivity from something customers only reconcile after the fact, to something they can actively manage as they use it.
Q: Are consumers starting to think about connectivity differently?
Arthur Goldstuck: There has been a shift away from the old inflexible model. The pandemic accelerated it – connectivity suddenly became as essential as electricity for work, education, and daily life. As that happened, people started applying the same expectations they already had from other digital services: clarity, flexibility, and control.
What stands out in South Africa is just how common this behaviour has become. It’s not limited to higher-income users – years of prepaid mobile use have taught a much wider group of consumers to actively manage their own connectivity.
Ernst Fonternel: We’re seeing more customers move naturally into digital channels and self-management. They want real-time visibility, easier ways to manage multiple lines, and fewer surprises – especially when it comes to what they are paying for, what they have used, and what happens next.
That shift is exactly what Pi was designed to support: one app, one account, and a clearer way to manage both mobile and home connectivity.
Q: What barriers still exist to fully digital-first telecom models?
Arthur Goldstuck: Device access is one of the biggest. Beyond that, digital literacy is a challenge, particularly outside of the metros. There’s also a credibility gap to contend with. For many consumers, this goes back decades – experiences like data expiry or unexpected billing have left people feeling burned, so anything that sounds too good to be true is met with understandable scepticism.
The only way to overcome this is through consistency and by proving over time that the simplicity is real, the transparency is real – and that it’s not just a marketing promise.
Ernst Fonternel: Predictability is also key. People want confidence that what they see is what they’ll pay. The focus is on making everyday management easier, whether that’s adjusting services monthly, simplifying payments, or helping families and small businesses manage multiple lines in one place. For Pi, the goal is that customers should feel in control before, during and after they buy. DM
About Pi
Pi is a digital network operator that enables customers to manage mobile and home connectivity through a single app and web platform. Built on MTN’s network, it is designed around flexibility, transparency, and real-time self-service control.
Customers can sign up instantly via eSIM or physical SIM, manage plans month to month, add additional lines for family members, and track usage in real time through the Pi app. Mobile plans start from 5GB for R99 per month, while home connectivity options range from 200GB to 1TB on 5G.