Icasa proposed revised data, voice, and SMS bundle depletion and rollover rules for South Africa

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New mobile data, voice, and SMS bundle rules for South Africa

Mobile data consumption in order of earliest expiry and compulsory mobile data rollovers up to three months after a bundle's activation are among the new rules being proposed for South Africa's cellular networks.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has published revised draft amendments to its End-user and Subscriber Service Charter Amendment (EUSSC) Regulations.
 

Attachments

  • EUSSC-Regulations-2024.pdf
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Here we go again. They did this a good few years ago to make rollover and data transfers compulsory if I recall correctly.
 
WTF:

"mobile networks must allow consumers to transfer bundles or portions thereof to any other consumer on the same network.

The transferred resource must retain the same conditions as the original bundle, including those relating to expiry dates, bundle rollover and bundle transfer.

In addition, the transfer of bundles must not be limited to specific service types, except for uncapped, free or promotional bundles, and applies to any SIM card or device on the same network, including SIM cards or devices owned by the same consumer.

Networks should also not be allowed to limit the number of times that a user can transfer their data, voice minutes, or SMSs."

So basically, an entrepreneur can buy, say, 100GB bundle and resell Gigs to anyone "unlimited" times?
 
And the problem is?
You can got to Makro and buy 24 Cokes then sell 12 to someone who then sell it one by one.
There is no difference the only difference is when the coke goes over its Best Before date they dont come and collect it from you.

WTF:

"mobile networks must allow consumers to transfer bundles or portions thereof to any other consumer on the same network.

The transferred resource must retain the same conditions as the original bundle, including those relating to expiry dates, bundle rollover and bundle transfer.

In addition, the transfer of bundles must not be limited to specific service types, except for uncapped, free or promotional bundles, and applies to any SIM card or device on the same network, including SIM cards or devices owned by the same consumer.

Networks should also not be allowed to limit the number of times that a user can transfer their data, voice minutes, or SMSs."

So basically, an entrepreneur can buy, say, 100GB bundle and resell Gigs to anyone "unlimited" times?
 
Last edited:
And the problem is?
You can got to Makro and buy 24 Cokes then sell 12 to someone who then sell it one buy one.
There is no difference the only difference is when the coke goes over its Best Before date they dont come and collect it from you.
You change my mine have to unlike Gazm resply.
 
Didn't I see this movie before?
 
WTF:

"mobile networks must allow consumers to transfer bundles or portions thereof to any other consumer on the same network.

The transferred resource must retain the same conditions as the original bundle, including those relating to expiry dates, bundle rollover and bundle transfer.

In addition, the transfer of bundles must not be limited to specific service types, except for uncapped, free or promotional bundles, and applies to any SIM card or device on the same network, including SIM cards or devices owned by the same consumer.

Networks should also not be allowed to limit the number of times that a user can transfer their data, voice minutes, or SMSs."

So basically, an entrepreneur can buy, say, 100GB bundle and resell Gigs to anyone "unlimited" times?
I don't see a problem with this. In every other sector the suppliers have to compete with consumers reselling in smaller quantities or second hand. It will be inferior however as the expiry will be sooner than if you bought it outright and carries risk. It will also be limited by service so if you buy data on plan A it may be transferred to someone on plan B but only usable on plan A. But this could be beneficial for say stokfels.

This helps keep prices down. I'm not aware of any other sector where there's such a large discrepancy between bulk and smaller quantities.
 
Make sense to me. I lost 2 gigs of data that expired yesterday.

I could have transferred the data to my wife. We both on Telkom prepaid.

It will make budgeting easier.
 
Make sense to me. I lost 2 gigs of data that expired yesterday.

I could have transferred the data to my wife. We both on Telkom prepaid.

It will make budgeting easier.
Yes but I'm sure the operators have calculated the price taking into account that people won't use all the data. Now that it's more likely people use the data, the price will go up accordingly.
 
Ya but a lot of costs of fixed, there is also an endless list of what will bring down data costs but it doesn't.
first it was once Seacom and other cable landing it will drop the costs......
Then it was once the spectrum auction happens the prices will come down.
now its not till the next spectrum auction.....

they clearly got a glut of cash in the two big networks or they wouldn't have launched there lending business to use it up.

As We've seen with the MNVOs there is a working business model at a lower rate and longer validly.
yes a lot of the MNVOs were started as loss leaders but they are all starting to turn a proof based on reports.
On that note, that its the same as my argument above, they are buying in bulk and selling it to consumers.

The Networks have has many years to self regulate and provided a cheaper service but never did, now its time for government to regulate.

Yes but I'm sure the operators have calculated the price taking into account that people won't use all the data. Now that it's more likely people use the data, the price will go up accordingly.
 
Yes but I'm sure the operators have calculated the price taking into account that people won't use all the data. Now that it's more likely people use the data, the price will go up accordingly.
We heard that with Airtime windows (anyone remember those), wasn't true.
We heard it with interconnect rates, wasn't true.
If it wasn't for expiry dates networks could make more. People will be more likely to buy larger more expensive bundles that don't expire. Once they have data they are more likely to use it.
 
Ya but a lot of costs of fixed, there is also an endless list of what will bring down data costs but it doesn't.
first it was once Seacom and other cable landing it will drop the costs......
Then it was once the spectrum auction happens the prices will come down.
now its not till the next spectrum auction.....

they clearly got a glut of cash in the two big networks or they wouldn't have launched there lending business to use it up.

As We've seen with the MNVOs there is a working business model at a lower rate and longer validly.
yes a lot of the MNVOs were started as loss leaders but they are all starting to turn a proof based on reports.
On that note, that its the same as my argument above, they are buying in bulk and selling it to consumers.

The Networks have has many years to self regulate and provided a cheaper service but never did, now its time for government to regulate.
Regulators mount up:
 
ICASA is usually taking flak for their incompetence, so you have to give them credit for some decent proposals.

On the bundle transfer, they might have to reword - networks will include contract bundles under "promotional" so you can't transfer.

Ad-hoc mobile data bundles are relatively still expensive compared to other countries around the world. Sure, there is infrastructure costs involved, but no mobile provider is bringing innovation ideas to the table to bring down costs to the end consumer.

FYI: I'm on Vodacom contract and don't buy ad-hoc minutes/sms/data.
 
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ICASA is usually taking flak for their incompetence, so you have to give them credit for some decent proposals.

On the bundle transfer, they might have to reword - networks will include contract bundles under "promotional" so you can't transfer.

Ad-hoc mobile data bundles are relatively still expensive compared to other countries around the world. Sure, there is infrastructure costs involved, but no mobile provider is bringing innovation ideas to the table to bring down costs to the end consumer.

FYI: I'm on Vodacom contract and don't buy ad-hoc minutes/sms/data.
The problem with ICASA as with the ANC in general is they are very good at tabling proposals but not implementing them as we saw with the last round of this and before that with infrastructure sharing, LLU, device locking, the list goes on.
 
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