End-to-End Network Power Transformation: Reducing Costs and Boosting Efficiency for MTN South Africa

Amid rapid global 5G deployment, ongoing energy crises, increasingly complex communication networks, and accelerated digital transformation, communication networks are facing multiple challenges such as surging energy consumption, operational complexity, and green transition. There is an urgent need for solution providers with end-to-end capabilities to achieve energy efficiency improvements through systematic transformation—from site-level hardware upgrades, to regional energy management, and ultimately, to network-wide intelligent optimization. This approach aims to build a new generation of efficient, low-carbon, and intelligent communication energy networks, helping operators significantly reduce operational costs and carbon footprints while ensuring network performance.

MTN is the largest multinational telecommunications operator in Africa, with a presence in 16 countries and a total subscriber base of 297 million. MTN South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of MTN Group, is the country’s leading network provider, serving 39.2 million customers through a nationwide footprint of approximately 13,000 sites. With 97% 4G coverage and more than 44% 5G coverage, MTN South Africa is driving digital transformation and enabling technological innovation across key sectors of the economy.

Network-Wide Energy Transformation Challenges and Execution Gaps

The power supply situation in South Africa has been deteriorating significantly in recent years. In 2021, load-shedding accounted for 2.1% of total time, increasing to 10% in 2022. By 2023, load-shedding exceeded more than a quarter of each day. Furthermore, the load-shedding scenarios are highly complex, categorized into eight stages, with single-site outages lasting anywhere from 2.5 to 13.5 hours. MTN network, at that time, faced numerous challenges, including insufficient power supply and backup capacity, inadequate AC input leading to prolonged off-grid operation with two to three daily interruptions, severe site theft resulting in frequent losses of cabinets, batteries, and cables, the lack of energy equipment monitoring causing low efficiency and high OPEX, and continuously declining network power availability (PAV) accompanied by significant customer churn.  

These circumstances have made MTN South Africa's network-wide transformation exceptionally complex, involving upgrades for outdated power systems, batteries, and generators, solar integration for carbon reduction, hybrid energy solutions, anti-theft measures for sites, site monitoring systems, and energy operation efficiency improvements. Given the project's intricacy and urgency, MTN South Africa urgently required an end-to-end, integrated energy solution provider capable of executing a comprehensive network-wide upgrade to ensure timely delivery and rapidly transform the current network situation.

ZTE Empowers MTN South Africa's Comprehensive Network Transformation

To reverse the downturn and address escalating load-shedding and site transformation challenges, MTN South Africa partnered with ZTE to urgently implement end-to-end integrated energy upgrades across over 4,000 sites with low power availability. This comprehensive transformation enhanced backup power capacity and significantly improved site power availability. ZTE's "Net-Zero" Energy Network Solution embeds the design principles of "high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, stability, and intelligent operation" throughout the entire power chain—covering generation, conversion, storage, consumption, and management. This holistic approach delivered network-wide operational efficiency improvements and cost reductions across the complete energy value chain.

Professional Solution Design & Network-Wide Optimization

ZTE maximized the reuse of MTN's existing network equipment to reduce investment costs, providing tailored "one-site-one-solution" approaches. Differentiated energy transformation for individual sites offers deep customization with strong scenario adaptability, delivering a low total cost of ownership (TCO) for network-wide upgrades while achieving high post-transformation energy efficiency.

l The power supply strategy combined legacy equipment reuse with targeted replacements. Existing ZTE power equipment receives full utilization through diverse architectural designs that maximize reuse of outdoor cabinets and indoor racks. Under-capacity third-party power supplies get replaced with ZTE's high-efficiency systems featuring 98% rectifier efficiency. Expandable units enable smooth capacity upgrades, permitting phased investment and reduced initial costs. Intelligent circuit breakers facilitate remote switching control, allowing differentiated backup for various loads through precise management while minimizing battery configuration requirements.

• Battery solutions employ performance-based optimization. Recently deployed batteries in good condition remain in service, while aging batteries get replaced with ZTE SmartLi lithium batteries featuring 150Ah high-density 3U designs that significantly conserve cabinet space. The lithium solutions support hybrid battery operation to fully leverage existing battery capacity and maximize legacy equipment value.
• Solar integration focuses on carbon reduction. ZTE's solar power modules seamlessly incorporate existing solar panels without connection modifications, ensuring minimal reconstruction for maximum benefits. For diesel generator sites, new solar installations are introduced to create hybrid energy systems. The industry-leading single-panel MPPT tracking technology delivers 20% higher power generation in shaded conditions.
• Space-constrained sites utilize ZTE's modular PadPower + PadBattery solutions that support flexible expansion and configuration to accommodate various challenging installation environments.   

ZTE iEnergy Boosts Operational Efficiency by 25%

ZTE has implemented the iEnergy energy management system across the entire network, supporting comprehensive management of power supplies, batteries, solar energy, generator facilities, and environmental monitoring. For MTN's critical sites where modifications are restricted, iEnergy integrates with management units to enable monitoring and control of third-party power supplies and lithium batteries in the existing network.

ZTE iEnergy enables intelligent O&M for batteries, solar panels, and generators, providing detailed maintenance guidance. This includes monitoring battery state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), and lifespan prediction to prevent battery failures and site outages. It also establishes generator maintenance schedules and refueling calendars, shifting operations from reactive to proactive management. Remote inspections and fault analysis further reduce on-site maintenance costs. As a result, overall site O&M efficiency has improved by 25%.

Comprehensive Anti-Theft Protection for Telecom Sites

ZTE implemented multi-tiered anti-theft solutions tailored to regional risk levels (low/medium/high) and to existing battery conditions, deploying battery security cabinets, equipment enclosures, epoxy resin reinforcement, and reinforced shelters to enhance physical protection. In addition, the solution integrates these measures with comprehensive network monitoring, enabling MTN to maintain real-time security oversight across all sites.

One-Stop Rapid Deployment

ZTE provides MTN with comprehensive energy transformation services encompassing site surveys, design, deployment, and maintenance, delivering end-to-end solutions for all operational scenarios.

With strong project execution capabilities and optimized resource integration, ZTE efficiently mobilizes its core delivery teams while coordinating local suppliers and subcontractors to accelerate network upgrades. With a peak delivery capacity of 1,000 sites per month—significantly exceeding MTN's requirements—the project successfully completed 4,200 site upgrades within six months, substantially mitigating outage-related losses for the operator.

In the MTN South Africa energy transformation project, ZTE implemented an end-to-end,  full-scenario energy solution, enabling one-stop delivery and intelligent network-wide management. By deploying industry-leading technologies and parallel optimization strategies, ZTE increased MTN's network-wide PAV from 85% to over 98%, while significantly reducing OPEX.

The project addressed both network expansion requirements and infrastructure upgrade needs, while creating a unified ecosystem that reduced operational costs and enhanced efficiency. The exceptional outcomes were formally recognized by MTN in a letter of appreciation, which fully acknowledged ZTE's integrated capabilities in complex power scenarios and commended the mutually beneficial achievements.