New Icasa rules seek to prevent consumers' mobile data from expiring

Mobile data expiration has long been a controversial topic, especially for South African prepaid users who risk losing money when unused data bundles disappear after just 30 days.

Many users see this practice as exploitative, despite mobile operators' claims that these expirations are essential for controlling network capacity and resources.

In response to a rising tide of discontent, the country's communications regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa), has unveiled a new set of regulations that promise to transform the mobile data landscape.

The amended regulations, formally titled the End-User and Subscriber Service Charter Amendment Regulations, were published in the Government Gazette and are expected to come into fruition in early 2027.

This announcement follows years of pressure from political and civic groups advocating for changes that would protect consumers from the unpredictable whims of data expiration.

Widespread outrage over escalating mobile data costs has been fuelled by numerous complaints from users about losing their hard-earned bundles before they could fully use them.

Recognising the detrimental impact this has on users — especially among South Africa’s unemployed population and school-going children, who rely on internet for school work — these new rules aim to protect consumers and promote fairness in mobile services.

Under the forthcoming regulations, mobile operators will be required to implement several key changes:

Use older data bundles first before newer ones are consumed; facilitate automatic rollovers for most data bundles, allowing users to carry over unused data; and cease out-of-bundle charges unless users provide explicit opt-in consent.

As of early 2025, South Africa boasts about 50.8 million internet users, underscoring the scale of digital communication.

The need for internet access is paramount, not just for social connectivity but also for critical tasks such as job applications, training, and professional communication. Therefore, the ability to retain data for longer will undoubtedly be a boon for millions of South Africans.

While consumers must wait until 2027 for these regulations to be fully enacted — a timeframe allowing operators to adapt — the sentiment is one of cautious optimism.

As the saying goes, it's better late than never.

THE STAR