MTN Nigeria has blamed high-resolution video streaming, automatic downloads and background applications for the rapid depletion of subscribers’ data bundles, as the company sought to address complaints about unexplained data consumption.
The telecommunications firm explained that smartphone settings and applications could consume data even when users were not actively browsing, urging subscribers to review their devices’ settings and monitor usage.
The explanations were given on Monday at MTN’s “Data on Trial” forum in Abuja, where customers and industry stakeholders examined complaints about how quickly data allowances run out.
MTN’s General Manager of Network Performance and Quality Assurance, Michael Ndukwe, said data consumption depended largely on users’ activities, application settings and device configurations.
He identified platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp as significant sources of data use, particularly when videos played automatically or were streamed in high resolution.
Ndukwe said a 15-second TikTok video could consume between two and 20 megabytes, depending on its quality.
He also warned that automatic media downloads on WhatsApp could rapidly use up subscribers’ data allowances.
“If your WhatsApp is set on auto-download, straight away it hits your data bundle,” he said, advising users to adjust their settings to reduce unnecessary consumption.
Ndukwe added that data consumption in Nigeria had increased by about 43 per cent year-on-year, reflecting growing internet activity.
He recommended disabling automatic downloads, reducing video resolution, activating data-saving features and monitoring usage through the MyMTN application.
MTN’s General Manager of IT Operations, David Ogunsola, said differences between data usage displayed on smartphones and figures recorded by telecommunications networks could arise from variations in measurement methods, background traffic and the timing of data sessions.
He said such differences could range from two per cent to about 12 per cent in some circumstances.
Ogunsola explained that network technology, such as 3G or 4G, primarily affected connection speed, while video quality and application settings influenced the amount of data consumed.
MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, said the company organised the forum in response to customers’ concerns about disappearing data balances and the explanations provided by operators.
He said the event was intended to allow subscribers and other stakeholders to scrutinise the company’s practices and discuss their complaints.
Toriola also cited electricity and transportation costs associated with powering and maintaining telecommunications sites as factors affecting the cost of providing internet services in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications and ICT, Peter Akpatason, said the forum had helped address misconceptions about data depletion and taught consumers how to protect their subscriptions.
He urged Nigerians to consider investment opportunities in the telecommunications industry, which he described as having room for further growth.
Meanwhile, the Northwest Sales Manager of Xiaomi Nigeria, Kevin Kojode, identified automatic software updates, cloud backups, background applications and unrestricted hotspot connections as other causes of unexpected data consumption.
He advised users to restrict automatic updates to Wi-Fi, set data limits, monitor connected devices and reduce streaming quality.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has also advised subscribers to monitor their data usage and request usage histories from operators when their balances appear inconsistent with their activities.
Consumers who remain dissatisfied with their service providers’ explanations can escalate complaints to the commission through its toll-free line, 622.
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