‘If I steal your data, I lose my bonus’ – MTN CEO Stephen Blewett on data depletion concerns

The frustration of data vanishing too quickly is a recurring concern that MTN Ghana CEO Stephen Blewett is all too familiar with.
Speaking at MTN House in Accra on Wednesday, April 2, he addressed the widespread perception that telecom companies deliberately steal users’ data—an accusation he firmly rejects.
“I have been doing this job for a long time,” Mr Blewett said.
“Every country I’ve ever been to has said, ‘You’re stealing my data.’ Every single country. And I haven’t only worked for MTN.”
Mr Blewett made it clear that there is no incentive for him or MTN to engage in data theft.
He stressed that any undeclared revenue would be detrimental to the company’s financial transparency and his own earnings.
“I’m going to say this very clearly, and I swear to God as my witness: we have no reason to want to steal your data,” he declared.
“My bonus is determined by the revenue. If I steal your data, I can’t declare it, I will never get a bonus, okay?”
His blunt assertion was meant to dispel the notion that MTN—or any other telecom provider—would risk tampering with users’ data balances for profit.
According to Mr Blewett, data depletion is often misunderstood, and many customers don’t realize how improved network performance leads to higher data consumption.
“Here’s the difficult part of improving our network,” he explained.
“Guess what happens? A better network means data goes quicker.”
Using a relatable example, he pointed out how streaming platforms automatically adjust video quality based on network strength.
“If you have a good network, YouTube will play a higher-resolution video. Guess what happens to your data?” he asked, before comparing the process to the classic arcade game Pac-Man. “It just eats it up. And that’s not us. We don’t set that.”
Mr Blewett also noted an interesting cultural difference in mobile usage patterns between Ghana and other countries.
“In other countries, people use their phones like this,” he said, mimicking a horizontal grip.
“But in Ghana, everyone holds their phone like this,” he continued, mimicking a vertical grip, suggesting an intense focus on watching videos.
“There are so many YouTube videos that I don’t know about that everyone else seems to know about,” he added with a chuckle.
His observation reinforces how Ghanaians’ appetite for video content significantly impacts their data consumption.
To further assure customers, Mr Blewett highlighted MTN’s strict auditing processes that ensure transparency in billing.
“We are independently audited,” he stated. “If there was something wrong with our billing, our auditors would never pass our financials.”
Beyond external oversight, MTN also has internal mechanisms in place.
“We have a revenue assurance department that is constantly checking our billing and seeing if there are any leakages,” he revealed.
For Stephen Blewett, the integrity of MTN’s billing system is non-negotiable.
“We don’t want any revenue leakages. We don’t want a situation where people’s data is being billed incorrectly because that would mean we’re non-compliant.”
Despite his confidence in MTN’s systems, Mr Blewett acknowledged the frustration many customers feel when their data runs out faster than expected.
“I know people may not be happy to hear this, and I believe that,” he admitted. “But I can tell you, it’s the truth. And every country I’ve been to has had the same concerns.”
In a rare moment of relatability, the MTN CEO revealed that he, too, understands what it’s like from a consumer perspective.
“I know how it feels because I’ve been a customer as well,” he said.
Mr Blewett’s message to MTN users was clear: data depletion is not a case of telecom companies stealing data, but rather a reflection of evolving mobile habits and improved network performance.

Source: myjoyonline.com