Pages crawling, WhatsApp voice notes stuck on “downloading”, videos buffering. When MTN internet is slow, it is tempting to blame the network straight away. Sometimes that is right. Often the cause is closer to home. Here is how to find out.

First, measure it

Run a speed test with a speed-test app or website, ideally a few times: once now, once at a quieter time like early morning. If your speed is fine at 6am and poor at 8pm, the issue is congestion. If it is poor all the time, read on.

1. Your phone is not on 4G

If you see 3G, H+, E or nothing next to your signal bars, you are not on 4G, and everything will feel slow.

  • Android: Settings → Connections → Mobile networks → Network mode → choose “LTE/WCDMA/GSM auto” or “4G/3G/2G auto”.
  • iPhone: Settings → Mobile Data → Mobile Data Options → turn on 4G/LTE.
  • Check your phone supports MTN 4G: MTN says its 4G uses the 800MHz band (band 20). Dial *156# and choose option 2 to check.

2. Something on your phone is eating the bandwidth

App updates, photo backups and WhatsApp group media can quietly use your connection. If one app is downloading a large update, everything else slows down. Pause updates and backups and test again. Our guide to making your mobile data last longer shows how to stop background use.

3. Weak signal

Indoors, behind thick walls or far from a mast, signal drops and so does speed. Try near a window or outside. If speed jumps, signal is your problem. A phone case with metal, or a damaged SIM, can make it worse.

4. Busy times

A cell is shared by everyone nearby. At busy places (markets, stadiums, campuses) and busy times (evenings), speeds drop. There is not much you can do except schedule heavy downloads for quieter hours, such as with MTN’s Midnight Bundle.

5. Wrong settings

Wrong internet settings usually stop data completely rather than slowing it, but it is worth checking. MTN’s APN is internet. See MTN internet settings.

6. You are browsing without a bundle

If your bundle finished, you may be browsing on airtime at MTN’s out-of-bundle rate, or your phone may be barely connecting. Check your balance with *124# or the MyMTN app. MTN says buying a bundle through *138# stops charges to your main account.

7. It really is the network

If your friends on MTN nearby have the same problem at the same time, it is probably a local network issue: maintenance, a damaged fibre line or a mast problem. MTN’s own troubleshooting says to try again later in that case, and to contact MTN through its digital channels if it continues.

  • Check MTN Ghana’s official social media pages for outage notices.
  • Report it to MTN with your location and the time it started.
  • If a problem continues for a long time and MTN does not resolve it, you can complain to the National Communications Authority through its complaints portal. In February 2026 the NCA tightened its quality-of-service standards for mobile networks.

8. Sometimes it is the undersea cables

Almost all of Ghana’s international internet traffic travels through undersea cables. When they break, every network slows down at once, whatever your phone settings. On 14 March 2024, four cables serving Ghana (ACE, MainOne and WACS off Abidjan, and SAT-3 off Portugal) were damaged on the same day, and data was slow nationwide for weeks. The NCA said repairs on all four were finished by 8 May 2024.

Afterwards the NCA required cable operators to submit backup and redundancy plans, and told mobile networks to keep their backup cable links and connect to a cable provider in the sub-region not yet landing in Ghana. If everyone on every network is slow at the same time, check the NCA’s and the networks’ announcements before changing your settings.

Before blaming the network, check three things: the 4G icon, your balance, and whether one app is hogging the line.

This guide was checked in October 2026. Menus and services change, so if something looks different on your phone, check with your provider.

Common questions

Why is MTN slow in the evening?

Evenings are busy times. Many people share each cell, so speeds can drop. Early morning is usually faster.

How do I switch my phone to 4G?

On Android, set Network mode to an option with LTE or 4G. On iPhone, turn on 4G/LTE under Mobile Data Options.

Is MTN down today?

Ask people near you on MTN and check MTN Ghana’s official social media. If it is a local outage, MTN’s advice is to try later and contact them if it continues.

Where can I complain about poor network service?

Start with your network’s customer care. If the problem continues, you can complain to the National Communications Authority through its complaints portal.

Sources