/ 26 April 2018

ICASA: Cellphone users will soon be allowed to carry over unused data

Users will now be allowed to carry over unused data into the next month. All licensees
Users will now be allowed to carry over unused data into the next month. All licensees

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa has announced four new regulations to end-user and subscriber services charters at a briefing in Johannesburg.

ICASA said that, while the regulations do not seek directly or indirectly to regulate costs, they improve regulations around data, sms and voice services.

They are:

  • Service providers must notify users when their data falls below 50%, 80% and 100%. ICASA said that this will help consumers “monitor their usage” and “control” their spending on communication services
  • Users will now be allowed to carry over unused data into the next month. All licensees, said ICASA, are required to provide this option.
  • The authority expects all network providers to allow consumers to transfer data to other users on the same network.
  • Service providers will no longer be allowed to charge consumers out-of-bundle rates when data has run out without the consumers’ prior consent.

“After the regulations are published, service providers will be given a month comply,” said ICASA CEO Wellington Ngwepe. The regulations have not yet been gazetted. — News 24

*This is a breaking story. More to follow.