Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (Icasa) has published updates to its consumer-protection rules that will significantly change how mobile operators manage data, voice and SMS bundles.
The amendments, gazetted on January 23, will only take effect in early 2027, giving providers a year to adjust their systems and offerings.
At the heart of the changes is a new regulation that applies equally to data, voice and SMS. Customers must now be notified when they reach 50%, 80% and 100% of their bundle usage, while silent out-of-bundle billing will no longer be allowed. Once a bundle runs out, services must stop unless a customer has opted into additional charges or purchased a new bundle.
Operators will also be required to deplete older bundles first, automatically roll over unused portions of longer-term bundles, and allow bundle transfers between users on the same network. The rules further protect consumers when network faults prevent the use of their bundles, with affected services extended to compensate for lost time.
Icasa said the measures are necessary to address long-standing consumer complaints, particularly around prepaid users, confusing rollover rules, expired data, and surprise charges. The regulator rejected pushback from operators, who argued the changes could limit pricing flexibility and increase costs, emphasising its mandate to set minimum standards for end users.
Once implemented, the rules are expected to bring greater transparency, fewer wasted bundles, and stronger protections for consumers, while still allowing operators to compete on price, coverage, service quality, and value-added features.
–ChannelAfrica/ICASA–
