When it comes to choosing a network provider to use, especially for most of us in Nigeria ,it's not actually which one has cheaper data plans or call rates but which one is most available in your location. But then, one can find himself in a location where multiple network providers are available; in this case, it becomes a personal choice over which one is faster or cheaper.
Currently , I use 3 different network providers due to the frustrations I have faced in the past. I use MTN, Airtel, and Glo, but MTN has been my primary network provider since many years ago. Even though MTN people said everywhere you go, it hasn't been the case for me, but then, so far, it has proven to be more stable than others. I think I rarely have network issues with MTN here in Lagos State, Nigeria, where I reside, except for the time we have a general network glitch and a few times the network will just vanish from my phone.
Aside from the fact that MTN recently increased the cost of their data plans, I have always said that MTN data plans are cheaper and faster, but now they're crazy expensive but still fast, at least for me. The time I usually switch to either Glo or Airtel is mostly when MTN starts their network drama , but still, I find Glo and Airtel so discomforting to use. This is because it takes forever before these networks load my pages, especially Glo, and then the Airtel network drains my data. I really don't know if this experience is a general one, but practically this is what I have been facing with Airtel. More reason why I still stick with MTN even with their current high data plans: it gives me what I want on many occasions; it doesn't delay my online activities; I can simply browse without stress and stream online every morning without issues and download whatever I want, except sometimes when the weather isn't friendly and the network starts acting up, then my other network providers become my backup lines at that time.
Whenever I travel to my hometown in the east , the MTN network is usually zero over there. It's frustrating , so unstable; I can't make calls with it nor browse the Internet. This is why having backup lines for me is non-negotiable. Airtel and Glo always come through for me over there. But then, there was a time I had a bad experience with MTN while in Lagos State, where MTN used to be stable. That day, I woke up to make my post on Hive as usual and discovered that I had no access to Hive. I wanted to earn my yearly badge, so I didn't want to miss my daily streak posting. I tried everything and even subscribed another data thinking that I exhausted my data , yet I couldn't access Hive. That was the day I bought Airtel and Glo network for the first time and at the same time to fight such frustration, and in the evening of that day, I was able to publish my post using the Airtel network.
Overall, I have experienced network fluctuations while using these three network providers, but the MTN network stands out for me both in availability and fast network services without feeling much of unbearable frustration while using their services.
Images were taken from canva
