Telco: MTN Turns Retail into Experience

Johannesburg | Telco stores in South Africa play a much broader role than in many European and North American markets. They are sales floor, service counter, device showroom and technology lab at the same time. MTN South Africa’s Digital Experience Centre in Morningside, Johannesburg, brings these functions together in one location – and offers a glimpse of where telecommunications retail is heading.

The centre opened in late 2024 and was designed as a hands-on environment for consumers and business customers. Visitors can explore the latest devices, test connected-home applications, experience gaming setups and discover enterprise solutions from MTN Business. According to MTN, the goal is to make complex technology easier to understand and more tangible for everyday use.

From Telco Store to Experience Hub

The concept reflects a broader shift in telecommunications retail. Mobile operators are no longer selling only handsets, SIM cards and contracts. Growth increasingly comes from smart home, enterprise connectivity, cloud, IoT, security and payment-related services. For customers, these offers often remain abstract – until they can be experienced in a physical environment.

At the MTN Digital Experience Centre, this idea becomes visible. A connected home area demonstrates how 5G can power smart home scenarios such as security systems, automated lighting and connected appliances. Dedicated business areas present MTN services including unified communications, cloud services, IoT, private networks and managed security. A talk studio and boardroom add further use cases for events, customer meetings and enterprise demonstrations.

Digital Signage as Supporting Actor

For digital signage observers, the most interesting aspect is not the number of screens, but how they are used. The store avoids the typical mistake of letting digital dominate the retail space. Instead, signage supports orientation, product discovery and service processes while the devices and experiences remain the centre of attention.

Interactive phone tables are a particularly strong detail. Integrated sensors allow visitors to call up information and features for individual handsets, turning product comparison into a self-guided experience. Queue management is handled discreetly, while bar-type displays add a modern visual layer without turning the store into a screen showroom.

The result is a pragmatic signage concept that fits the South African telco environment. Screens are not installed for effect; they support transactions, advice and exploration. In a market where telco stores remain important customer-service touchpoints, that balance is crucial.

Alongside large-format LED screens, backlit information displays in corporate colours and switchable glass meeting rooms, the venue also serves a practical purpose. A B2B Experience Center is not just about brand and technology experiences; it also needs to accommodate meetings, training sessions and extended product presentations.

Gaming, Devices and Brand Worlds

The device zone follows a familiar shop-in-shop concept, with vendors designing and operating their own branded areas. Leading smartphone, tablet and wearable brands—including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Honor, Oppo and Vivo—showcase their latest devices alongside support and service offerings. For MTN, the value proposition is obvious: the store becomes a destination for technology discovery and hands-on product experiences rather than simply a point of sale for contracts and subscriptions.

Gaming adds another layer to the experience. PlayStation consoles, VR attractions and esports-style tournaments transform network performance into something visitors can experience firsthand. For a mobile operator, concepts such as low latency, bandwidth and connectivity are far more compelling when demonstrated through gameplay than explained through technical specifications. The result is an environment where digital services become tangible, engaging and memorable.

Roll-out Potential

The experience concept has proven itself in practice and some modules like the phone experience tables are being rolled out across MTN flagship stores and franchise outlets in South Africa. That makes the Johannesburg centre more than a single flagship project. It works as a testbed for retail formats that combine service, sales and experience in a market where physical stores continue to play a central role.

For the broader digital signage industry, MTN’s Digital Experience Centre is an example how screens, sensors and software can be integrated into a customer journey that still feels retail-driven. In emerging markets, where stores often remain the primary interface between brand and customer, that may be the most important lesson.

The joined forces of PDT and Ethniks Digital Signage integrators developed and installed the digital signage concept based on Scala and Navori with Samsung and special screens. For the broader digital signage industry, MTN’s Digital Experience Centre is an example how screens, sensors and software can be integrated into a customer journey that still feels retail-driven. In emerging markets, where stores often remain the primary interface between brand and customer, that may be the most important lesson.

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