MTN Nigeria has explained why many subscribers experience rapid depletion of their internet data bundles, attributing the problem to video streaming, automatic downloads, background applications and smartphone settings rather than deliberate data deductions by telecommunications operators.
Newsonspot gathered that the company said many users unknowingly consume significant amounts of data through applications that continue running in the background, automatic media downloads, cloud backups and software updates.
Speaking at a forum tagged “Data on Trial,” held in Abuja on Monday on the sidelines of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of Network Performance, Mike Ndukwe, said data consumption largely depends on users’ online activities and the configurations of their devices.
“We’re not stealing your data. However, we completely understand how it feels, especially right now, where every amount counts. But the honest answer is that data is not taken without an action, either your action or your phone,” Ndukwe said.
He explained that applications such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp consume different amounts of data depending on video quality, automatic playback and download settings.
According to him, watching a 15-second Tik Tok video could consume between two and 20 megabytes, depending on its quality.
High-definition video streaming also uses considerably more data than standard-definition viewing.
Ndukwe noted that while ordinary WhatsApp text messages consume relatively little data, videos, status updates, group conversations and automatic media downloads can quickly exhaust subscribers’ bundles.
“If your WhatsApp is set on auto-download, straight away it hits your data bundle. And that is where you can optimise some of your settings,” he said.
He disclosed that WhatsApp had approximately 45 million users in Nigeria, while TikTok remained one of the platforms generating substantial data traffic.
Ndukwe also cited figures showing that data consumption had increased by approximately 43 per cent year-on-year.
To help subscribers manage their internet usage, he advised them to disable automatic downloads, reduce video streaming quality, activate data-saving features and monitor consumption through the MyMTN application.
MTN Explains Differences in Data Measurements
Also speaking at the forum, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of IT Operations, David Ogunsola, explained that differences between data consumption figures displayed on smartphones and those recorded by telecommunications networks could result from variations in measurement methods, background traffic and the timing of data sessions.
“The data that you measure on your devices is slightly different from what traverses over the network and what’s on the charge,” Ogunsola said.
He added that differences in measurement and rounding could result in variations ranging from two per cent to approximately 12 per cent in some circumstances.
According to him, network technology primarily determines connection speed, while video quality and application settings influence the volume of data consumed.
“The network type that you are on, whether it’s 3G or 4G, just like Mike also explained earlier, would determine not how much data you use, but how fast you’re able to do what it is that you want to do,” he explained.
MTN CEO Defends Cost of Providing Internet Services
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, defended the cost of providing telecommunications services, citing electricity expenses and the cost of powering and maintaining network sites across the country.
“Please understand that this country, as well as a few other African countries, we are providing power and transportation to all of our sites,” Toriola said.
He maintained that Nigerian telecommunications operators deploy equipment comparable to those used in Europe and the United States but face higher operating expenses, particularly the cost of electricity.
Toriola added that MTN was intensifying consumer education to help subscribers better understand their smartphone settings and manage their internet consumption.
Xiaomi Identifies Smartphone Settings That Consume Data
The Northwest Sales Manager of Xiaomi Nigeria, Kevin Kojode, also attributed unexpected data depletion to automatic software updates, cloud synchronisation, background applications and unrestricted hotspot connections.
“Today, users don’t just go online, they stay online,” Kojode said.
Using a one-gigabyte subscription as an example, he explained how background updates, cloud backups and operating-system activities could consume data without users deliberately initiating downloads.
He advised subscribers to restrict automatic updates to Wi-Fi connections, activate data limits, monitor hotspot connections and reduce video streaming quality.
Kojode also highlighted smartphone features that allow users to monitor their data consumption and control data sharing.
He maintained that understanding how applications and device settings operate could help Nigerians reduce unnecessary data consumption and make their subscriptions last longer.
