ICASA gives green light to data rollover
The Independent
Communications Authority of South Africa
(ICASA) has announced it will block out-of-bundle tariffs
without subscriber consent.
ICASA made the announcement on Thursday following a series of public hearings on the high price of data.
The regulator proposed regulations to govern the rules on mobile data expiry and out-of-bundle billing but did not announce whether data prices will be cut.
ICASA councillor, Botlenyana Mokhele, says some of the regulations include customers being updated about data depletion at 80%, 90% and 100%.
"This will enable consumers to monitor their usage and control their spending.”
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Consumers must be given an option to buy a new bundle, or agree to out-of-bundle billing.
"The second one is (a) rollover of data. All licensees are required to provide an option to consumers to roll over unused data, this will ensure that consumers don't lose unused data as it is the current practice," Mokhele explained.
Mokhele says there must also be an option to transfer data to other users on the same network.
According to the revised draft regulations, prepaid data bundles must have a minimum expiry period of three years.
Mokhele says the aim of the regulations is to develop minimum standards with respect to the provision of data, sms and voice services.