MTN and Glo finally announced the introduction of 4G in Nigeria, this is more than a welcome development as this services is already being enjoined in many parts of the world and even in some African states.
4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the latest and fastest wireless data connection technology out there. With 4G, you can download large files in a very short period of time. At the current internet speed rate in Nigeria which is the 3G network, downloading a file of 1GB could take up to 1 hour on average but with 4G, it is a matter of some minutes. Streaming videos online on a 4G network is as good as watching a very high quality video from your local drive or phone memory drive.
It still come as a great surprise to me to know that Nigeria is not enjoying full internet service as it is being enjoyed in most part of the world. And our network providers most especially MTN and Glo do not enjoy the same level of customers’ commitment or profit level that they make in Nigeria from any other part of the world.
4G was introduced in Nigeria about a year ago by mini internet service providers like Spectranet, Smile 4G, and recently Ntel. There are also other mini service providers that provides 4G network in Nigeria but are restricted to the major cities only like Lagos, Abuja and Porthacourt.
The major challenge we face with these earlier 4G providers is that we can hardly differentiate between the 4G network they are providing us and the regular 3G (or 3.5G) that we are used to. I understand we can not really blame these mini providers or accuse them of deceiving us, their major challenge is their limited coverage areas.
Another challenge is the prices that come with these 4G networks. Spectranet and Smile 4G have tried their best to make 4G network affordable to the common man, this can be seen in the constant slashing of their prices withing the past few months, though this can also be said to be as a result of the unending competitions between the major network providers, because they have to provide something really competitive to challenge major network providers like MTN who offers 500MB for N25.
I think what led to the surprising introduction of 4G in Nigeria is the launching of Ntel, a 4G only network who currently offers an unlimited data plan for as low as N10,000. MTN who had not shown much interest in data subscription in the past seems to be very interested now even though they are way behind Glo when it comes to the number of current internet subscribers in each of the networks. MTN decided to announce the introduction of 4G LTE in the three major cities of the country, Abuja, Lagos and Porthacourt.
It was exactly a week after MTN announced the introduction of 4G service in Nigeria, Glo decided to come out with its very own 4G LTE, a move welcomed by every lover of the internet in Nigeria. GLO also went extra miles by not limiting its 4G service to three cities alone but to over 10 cities.
Many have thought that bringing 4G data service to Nigeria will come at an expensive price, but our network providers have surprised us by making it very affordable contrary to what many have believed,
How to Upgrade to 4G LTE on GLO
Globacom is the leading internet service provider in Nigeria, having over 1 million active data subscribers, it has over 60% of the entire active internet data users in the country.
Glo had acquired its customer base by proving the most affordable internet data plans in the country, and it also has one of the most stable networks in Nigeria. Introducing a 4G LTE service will only make GLO more dominant in the data market. Below is a simple guide on how you can start enjoying this service;
1. How to Upgrade your GLO sim to use GLO 4G LTE?
To upgrade your Glo sim to use the 4G lte network, all you need to do is work into any Glo shop or outlet near you and tell them you want to purchase a 4G sim card. And if you want to retain your current Glo number, you can simply request for Sim Swap, and they will swap your sim card from 3G network to Glo 4G lte network.
2. Where does the Glo 4G LTE cover?
Glo 4G lte is currently available in the following locations: Lagos: Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Isla, Ajah and Akoka, Abuja: Maitama, Wuse, Asokoro, Garki/Central Business District and Airport Road, Port Harcourt: Aba Road, Trans Amadi, Diobu, Old GRA and UNIPORT, Benin, Warri, Eket, Jos, Zaria: ABU, Yola: ABTI.
3. How do you know your device is compatible with 4G LTE?
To know if your device is compatible with the GLO LTE network, simply send (via text message) 4G to 400 you’ll get an auto response from Glo telling you if your device compatible or not. I’ll be posting a list of devices that supports 4G LTE at the end of this article.
4. How to subscribe for the Glo 4G LTE data bundles?
To subscribe for Glo 4G LTE data plans, simply dial *777#. A list of option will be displayed on your device, select 4G LTE Plans. Glo 4G data plan is as affordable as the 3G, with tantalizing plans like the 1.6GB for N500 per week and the 3.2GB for just N1000 for 30 days. This will definitely leave you no doubt for porting to 4G, imagine a world of internet speed mixed with affordability, it couldn’t get any better!
Below is the full list of Glo 4G data plans;
| Plan Name | Price (N) | Data Volume | Validity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Plans | 4G LTE 50 | 50 | 30MB | 1 Day |
| 4G LTE 100 | 100 | 60MB | 1 Day | |
| 4G LTE 200 | 200 | 200MB | 5 Days | |
| Medium Plans | 4G LTE 500 | 500 | 1.6GB | 7 Days |
| 4G LTE 1000 | 1000 | 3.2GB | 30 Days | |
| Large Plans | 4G LTE 2000* | 2000 | 7.5GB | 30 Days |
| 4G LTE 2500* | 2500 | 10GB | 30 Days | |
| 4G LTE 3000** | 3000 | 12GB | 30 Days | |
| 4G LTE 4000** | 4000 | 18GB | 30 Days | |
| 4G LTE 5000** | 5000 | 24GB | 30 Days | |
| 4G LTE 8000** | 8000 | 48GB | 30 Days | |
| 4G LTE 15000** | 15000 | 60GB | 30 Days | |
| 4G LTE 18000** | 18000 | 90GB | 30 Days |
How to Upgrade your MTN SIM to 4G LTE
MTN has shown over the years why it is the biggest network in Nigeria, and the company is know for its innovative nature. Even though Glo have taken the heart of many when it comes to data service in Nigeria, MTN still provide quality and innovative service to its customers when it comes to data subscription and plans.
I was so delighted when I saw the announcement that MTN will be launching a 4G LTE data service in Nigeria, and the company rightfully fulfilled its promise by introducing 4G in the last week of September 2016.
MTN is the first among the major network providers in Nigeria to introduce the 4G network service. Even though the subscription plan is not as pocket friendly as that of Glo, we can still say that the move made by MTN is a game changing in the industry.
The MTN 4G network is fully available in just three cities at the moment as it’s been tested in other cities, so if you do not have in your area yet, don’t worry, you can always check on MTN’s website on the cities that the 4G LTE coverage covers. Below is a guide on how to uograde to 4G LTE on the MTN network.
1. How to upgrade your Sim to use MTN 4G service
To use the MTN 4G network, you must first check if your device supports 4G and then upgrade your Sim card to use the network. To confirm if your phone and sim supports 4G LTE, simply text 4G to 131.
2. What cities can MTN 4G be used at the moment?
MTN 4G is currently available in Abuja, Lagos and Porthacourt. More cities coming!
3. How to subscribe for MTN 4G
MTN 4G plan is not as friendly as the Glo 4G plans. However, MTN still make provision for every subscriber with their variety of plans ranging from N100 to N50,000.
Below is the full list of MTN 4G LTE data bundle;
| Bundle Plan | Price (N) | Validity Period | Activation (SMS to 131) | Activation (USSD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30MB | 100 | 24HRS | 104 | *131*104# |
| 100MB | 200 | 24HRS | 113 | *131*113# |
| 750MB | 750 | 7 Days | 103 | *131*103# |
| 1.5GB | 1000 | 30 Days | 106 | *131*106# |
| 3.5GB | 2000 | 30 Days | 110 | *131*110# |
| 10GB | 5000 | 30 Days | 116 | *131*116# |
| 22GB | 10000 | 30 Days | 117 | *131*117# |
| 50GB | 20000 | 90 Days | 118 | *131*118# |
| 85GB | 50000 | 90 Days | 133 | *131*133# |
List of 4G LTE Devices in Nigeria
If you are among those who wish to enjoy the power of 4G browsing and you do not have a 4G supported mobile phone, below are some of the trending phones in Nigeria that supports 4G LTE networks.
- Tecno Camon C5
- Infinix Hot S
- Tecno Boom J8
- Tecno Camon C9
- Gionee M5 Plus
- Infinix Note 2
- Infinix Zero 3
- Gionee Marathon M5
- Tecno Phantom 5
- Sony Z5, Z3, C4
Other devices include;
| iPhone 7 | BlackBerry DTEK 50 | Samsung Galaxy S7 |
| iPhone 7s | BlackBerry Priv STV100-4 | Alcatel One Touch Pop 4S LTE |
| iPad Air 2 | HTC One M9 LTE-A | Alcatel One Touch Idol 4S LTE |
| iPad Mini 4 | HTC One M9+ | Alcatel One Touch Pop 4 Plus |
| iPhone 6 | Huawei P9 Plus VIE-L29 | Alcatel One Touch Pop 4 LTE |
| iPhone 6 Plus | Microsoft Lumia 950 | Blackberry Q5 |
| iPhone 6s | Microsoft Lumia 950 TD-LTE | Blackberry Q10 |
| iPhone 6s Plus | Microsoft Lumia 950 XL | Blackberry Z10 |
| iPhone SE | Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge | Blackberry Z30 |
| iPad Pro | Samsung Galaxy S7 Duos | Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge |
Conclusion
Glo and MTN have made a very strong statement concerning the provision of data services to their customers respectively, what we expect now is for the other two major networks to join in the 4G LTE trend.
With this new development, we can now boldly say goodbye to slow internet connection and Nigerians should not be concerned when it comes to online streaming and downloading.
And with this, I expect more online streaming start ups like Iroko TV to come up.
I have done upgrade my mtn line to 4G network but is not yet browsing fast
Hello Emeka,
Ensure that the 4G network coverage is in your area.
You can contact the customer care service to confirm this.