Network operators must roll over data

THE telecommunications regulator says service providers MTN‚ Vodacom and Cell C must provide an option to roll over unused data‚ ending the frustration of customers losing unused data after 30 days.

The Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) made the announcement in Sandton yesterday when it released its review of the 2016 End User and Subscriber Charter Regulations.

Icasa said the new regulations on data usage would allow users to keep the data so long as they remained active in the network.

The fundamental changes announced yesterday by Icasa councillor Bontlenyana Mokhele include subscribers having to receive notifications on data usage‚ users being able to roll over data. It also includes users being able to transfer data to other users in the same network and network providers not being allowed to charge out-of-bundle rates for data when it runs out without consent.

“There are two things that we are trying to address with the regulations. The first one is to ensure that you don’t automatically get defaulted to out-of-bundle rates.

“The effect of the regulation is that it will not have an expiry date until you have used it up‚ as long as you are active in your SIM and keep recharging,” Mokhele said.

“Our target market are people who buy smaller bundles in as far as the poorest of the poor. Chances are they will use up the data‚ but what we are offering them now is for them to have an indefinite access to that data should they remain active users of networks‚” Mokhele said. —