MTN Blames TikTok, WhatsApp, Background Apps For Fast Data Drain

MTN Nigeria has blamed fast-draining internet subscriptions on high-definition video streaming, automatic downloads, background applications and cloud synchronisation, insisting that telecommunications operators do not deliberately deduct customers’ data.

The company said many subscribers lose significant amounts of data without realising it because applications and smartphone features continue to consume internet resources even when they are not actively using their devices.

Speaking at a forum titled “Data on Trial” in Abuja, held on the sidelines of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of Network Performance, Mike Ndukwe, said subscribers’ browsing habits and phone configurations largely determine how quickly their data bundles are exhausted.

“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 the volume of data consumed by applications such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp varies according to video quality, automatic playback and download settings.

According to him, watching a 15-second TikTok video could use between two and 20 megabytes, depending on its resolution, while high-definition videos require considerably more data than standard-definition content.

Ndukwe noted that although ordinary WhatsApp text messages consume relatively little data, frequent video sharing, status updates, group conversations and automatic media downloads can quickly deplete users’ subscriptions.

He urged subscribers to review their application settings, warning that automatic downloads could consume data without users actively initiating them.

“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.

Ndukwe disclosed that WhatsApp had about 45 million users in Nigeria, while TikTok remained among the platforms contributing significantly to internet traffic. He also cited figures showing that data consumption had risen by approximately 43 per cent year-on-year.

To reduce unexpected data usage, he advised customers to disable automatic downloads, lower video streaming quality, enable data saving features and track their consumption through the MyMTN application.

Also addressing the gathering, MTN Nigeria’s General Manager of IT Operations, David Ogunsola, said discrepancies between data usage displayed on smartphones and figures recorded by telecommunications networks could result from differences in measurement methods, background activity 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 explained that measurement variations and rounding could account for differences ranging from two per cent to about 12 percent in certain circumstances.

Ogunsola added that the network technology a subscriber uses, such as 3G or 4G, primarily affects connection speed rather than the amount of data consumed. According to him, streaming quality and application configurations are more directly responsible for determining data usage.

“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 said.

MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, meanwhile, defended the cost of providing telecommunications services, pointing to the substantial expenses associated with powering and maintaining network infrastructure.

He said operators in Nigeria and some other African countries must provide electricity and transportation for their telecommunications sites, adding to their operating costs.

“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 operators use equipment comparable to that deployed in Europe and the United States but face higher operating expenses, particularly for electricity.

Toriola added that MTN was stepping up efforts to educate consumers on how to manage their smartphone settings and better understand their internet consumption.

Similarly, Xiaomi Nigeria’s Northwest Sales Manager, Kevin Kojode, identified automatic software updates, cloud backups, background applications and unrestricted mobile hotspot connections as other factors that can drain data subscriptions unexpectedly.

“Today, users don’t just go online, they stay online,” Kojode said.

Using a one gigabyte subscription as an example, Kojode explained that software updates, cloud synchronisation and operating-system processes could consume a significant portion of a user’s data allowance without deliberate browsing or downloading.

He recommended restricting automatic updates to Wi-Fi connections, setting data usage limits, monitoring devices connected to mobile hotspots and lowering video resolution.

Kojode also encouraged smartphone users to take advantage of built-in data monitoring tools and restrictions on data sharing, stressing that understanding device settings could help subscribers manage their internet bundles more efficiently.