Staying connected is about more than making a phone call. For older South Africans, a mobile connection can mean sharing a family moment across continents, buying electricity without leaving home or managing everyday tasks with greater convenience.
New insights from FNB Connect point to changing digital habits among customers aged 60 and older. Over two years, mobile data usage among active customers in this age group increased by more than 240%. Over the same period, outgoing voice usage per SIM declined by 11%.
The figures suggest that the way older customers communicate is changing. Rather than simply making more traditional calls, they may increasingly be using internet-based services, including WhatsApp, for messaging and calls.
Released ahead of Seniors Month, the findings offer a closer look at how connectivity can support relationships, everyday convenience and independence in later life.
FNB Connect CEO Sashin Sookroo says the real value of connectivity lies in what it enables people to do.
“For an older person, connectivity might mean seeing a grandchild who lives overseas or another province, buying electricity without arranging transport or checking an account at a time that suits them. Those are everyday experiences with real personal value.
“The growth in data usage shows changing behaviour among our older customers. It gives us a reason to pay closer attention to their needs and how we can help them derive greater value from being connected.”
Everyday tasks are moving to the banking app
Technology can make a difference in small but meaningful ways. One example is buying prepaid electricity or airtime through the FNB Banking App.
FNB Connect’s insights show that older customers are increasingly using the app to purchase these services. Among customers aged 60 and older who use FNB’s Connect Service Provider services, the app recorded substantial growth in its share of transactions between the two measured 12-month periods.
For people who feel comfortable using digital services, completing a purchase on a phone can save a trip and make it easier to manage everyday needs at a convenient time.
Sookroo says the benefit can be especially important when travelling is difficult or someone needs to arrange assistance.
“Being able to buy electricity from anywhere can make a practical difference, particularly when travelling is difficult or someone needs to arrange assistance,” he says.
“For someone learning to use digital services, mastering one useful task can be a meaningful starting point. The support should help them do what matters to them, at their own pace.”
The message is simple: digital confidence does not have to begin with mastering every feature on a smartphone. It can start with one useful task that makes everyday life easier.
Staying close, even when miles apart
Connectivity also creates more opportunities for older people to remain part of the lives of family and friends who live elsewhere.
A photograph shared in a family group chat, a quick message or a video call can help loved ones feel closer, even when they live in another province or country.
The increase in data usage suggests that internet-based services, from WhatsApp and social media to video streaming, are becoming more relevant to how older FNB Connect customers stay connected, informed and entertained.
“A shared photograph or a video call can bring someone into a family moment they would otherwise miss,” says Sookroo.
“For people separated by distance, having more ways to communicate can help maintain those everyday connections.”
Affordability also plays a role. For older customers who use messaging services to keep in touch, FNB Connect’s WhatsApp data rewards can help make these interactions more accessible and affordable.
Access to a suitable device is another part of the picture. FNB Connect reported that the number of customers aged 60 and older holding active device contracts increased by approximately 153% between August 2024 and August 2026.
This figure reflects growth within FNB’s device offering. It does not represent smartphone ownership across South Africa’s wider older population.
Digital independence should come with the right support
Not every older person uses technology in the same way. Some are already comfortable managing tasks online, while others may need help getting started. Some may also prefer personal assistance for certain activities.
That is why access to a device and mobile data is only part of the picture. Services must also be understandable, accessible and supported by help that respects each person’s preferences.
Sookroo says affordability, usability and support are central to making connectivity genuinely useful.
“A device and a connection are the starting point. Clear instructions, readable screens and patient help can make it easier for someone to use a service confidently.
“Independence also includes choosing when you want assistance. Someone may happily buy airtime through an app and still prefer speaking to a person about a banking question. We need to respect both.”
The distinction matters. Digital services can offer greater convenience, but independence should not mean being forced to do everything online. Older customers should be able to choose the tools and support that work for them.
The real value of staying connected
The FNB Connect findings point to changing digital habits among its older customers. Increased data usage, reduced outgoing voice usage and greater activity around digital services all provide insight into how this group is using connectivity.
However, the numbers are only part of the story. Behind every transaction or message is a practical need: keeping in touch, accessing information or completing a task with less effort.
For Sookroo, Seniors Month is an opportunity to look beyond technology itself and focus on the difference it can make in people’s lives.
“The question is what connectivity helps someone do,” he says. “Stay close to people they care about, manage an everyday need or access useful information. That’s where its value becomes personal.”
As digital habits evolve, the challenge is not simply to get more older people online. It is to ensure that connectivity remains useful, affordable and accessible, while respecting how each person chooses to live, communicate and manage everyday life.
