Strawman argument because what other option or real alternative does the consumer actually have but to accept the one-sided T&Cs? Reject them, sure, but then you can't use the phone for "data"...So they didn't accept the conditions of the sales transaction? They didn't know it expires (especially after buying more after the first ever expiry)?
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Why data expires – Explained by a hacker
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supersunbird
Honorary Master
Well, hopefully a disruptor will come in with this different methodology and contracts just how you want them.
You forgot "profit to shareholders" in the plan. I do not want my pension plan funds to be in non-profit generating entities.
In my view this whole "data expiry" thing is a purely income-driven accounting scheme that was cooked up to ream the rears of a captive and somewhat gullible consumer base as much as possible. It has no technical merit whatsoever.
Afaik that was only p2p, unless Telkom has started enforcing it for regular browsing and downloads. The point still remains if you can offer that (and like Rain does for R250) then surely you can offer something similar for low usage for less. The only reason they don't is because nobody wants to lower the cost of entry and everyone wants to price their product around the cost of dsl. It has nothing to do with being unable to.
supersunbird
Honorary Master
Theres your disruptor then and RAIN will be hugely successful as everyone moves to them.
Unfortunately data bundles are associated with a cellular number, and if a data bundle never expires, it also means that the associated cellular number must never expire.
A better future-proof solution would be to do away with cellular numbers and give everyone IPv6 addresses instead, and if we still have to have square data bundles fudged into a smaller tubular hole by network operators to justify their profit-maximising business models, those data bundles can be tied to IPv6 addresses instead of cellular numbers.
supersunbird
Honorary Master
Just imagine trying to remember your rarely used IPv6 address to load extra airtime or data quick quick on your internet banking portal.
No need to remember your IPv6 addresses, they will be encoded and imprinted onto each person's body shortly after birth (and when they get it right during conception) in the form of next-gen DNA-QR codes and will contain a whole lot of other data as well, opting someone into your contacts list will be a mutual electronic exchange of such encoded data, which will also kill spam.
Geoff.D
Honorary Master
A simple solution to solve. Cell numbers can only expire after all data on the number has been used up and for a period of x months thereafter. problem solved.
You can add other conditions such as contract lapsing and non-payment etc. Already, numbers cannot expire or be re-allocated to other users for 3 months? to satisfy the ported number regulations.
None of these issues challenges the data expiry issues in any way.
Change the model to no longer deactivate cards with the number. Airtime and data should be allowed to be used and transferred but the sim is deactivated with the number and any accounts associated with it.
This is a falicy that we need to unpack a bit.
Just because the network is built does not mean it's paid for. This is the equivalent of saying that you are the owner of a house and only pay maintenance and ignoring your monthly bond repayments.
There is not a single network in this country that owns their whole network and has no debt. They all have some kind of recurring costs to cover the financing of the capital expenditure.
In some cases it's a "landlord" who is leasing buildings, towers, poles, ducts, fibre, etc. In most cases the mobile networks don't even own the equipment in their networks. It's owned by a bank or a manufacturer and just rented to the network operator.