Cell C Slammed for Misleading Network Claims: ARB Says Ads Deceive Consumers

South Africans are being misled and the watchdog has had enough.

In yet another blow to its reputation, Cell C has been found guilty of misleading advertising by the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB). The mobile operator’s marketing campaign claiming it is “Now on SA’s Best Network” has been ruled deceptive, with the ARB accusing the brand of exploiting consumer trust and peddling ambiguity.

This ruling follows a complaint lodged by MTN, South Africa’s top-rated mobile network by most independent benchmarks, including research from MyBroadband and Umlaut. MTN argued that Cell C’s ad created a false impression that its own network was the nation’s best—when in fact, Cell C does not own or operate a leading network at all.

The Smoke and Mirrors Behind the Slogan

Cell C tried to defend its bold claim by pointing out that it roams on MTN and Vodacom’s networks, both of which are recognised as top performers. According to Cell C, this technically grants their users access to “SA’s best network.”

But the ARB wasn’t buying it.

While technically not a lie, the lack of clarity in Cell C’s messaging was found to be misleading. The watchdog noted that the slogan was deliberately ambiguous, implying that Cell C owned or operated the best network, rather than simply leasing access to it.

“The claim is phrased in a manner that exploits consumer knowledge and trust,” the ARB ruled. “It is likely to deceive consumers in a manner that contravenes advertising regulations.”

The board has instructed its members not to carry any Cell C advertising with the contentious claim going forward.

Conflicting Narratives and Broken Promises

The ruling exposes a pattern of conflicting statements from Cell C, both past and present.

Former CEO Douglas Craigie Stevenson previously claimed that Cell C wasn’t roaming on MTN’s network but was using its own virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN). He insisted the company maintained control over its spectrum, coverage, and quality, which contradicted the current messaging suggesting a dependency on MTN’s infrastructure.

Current CEO Jorge Mendes, however, continues to tout improvements in customer experience, claiming that Cell C provides access to “the best and most reliable networks in South Africa.” But the data doesn’t back that up, independent tests consistently show MTN leading in speed, reliability, and overall network performance.

CTO Schalk Visser added to the mixed messaging by asserting that the ownership of towers is irrelevant, suggesting that performance during “moments that matter” is all that counts. While slick, this narrative fails to address the core concern of transparency and consumer clarity.

A History of Misleading Claims

This isn’t the first time Cell C has been caught out for stretching the truth. In fact, misleading network marketing appears to be something of a tradition for the company.

• 2008: Then-CEO Jeffrey Hedberg dismissed 3G as “hype” and delayed investment, only to re-enter the market and misrepresent its 3G network as 4G, leading to a rebuke from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

• 2016: Cell C claimed it had the “widest network coverage”, which was again ruled as false by the ASA.

• The company resisted both rulings until external pressure forced compliance.

Now, under Mendes, Cell C appears to be repeating the same tactics, banking on vague slogans and technicalities to mislead the public and once again, the regulators had to step in.

The Real Cost: Public Trust

In a hyper-competitive mobile market, consumer trust is currency, and Cell C’s approach risks squandering what little it has left.

On platforms like Twitter and Reddit, users have voiced frustration:

“I switched to Cell C because I thought I was getting MTN-level quality. Joke’s on me.”

“It’s time these telcos stop playing word games. Just be honest about what you’re selling.”

While South Africans battle with connectivity, data costs, and reliability, clarity matters more than ever.

Cell C’s misleading network claims have once again landed it in hot water, with the ARB calling out its ambiguous marketing for deceiving South African consumers. It’s not the first time and if history is any guide, it may not be the last.