Mobile number recycling rules changes proposed in South Africa

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has published new rules for deactivating and recycling unused mobile phone numbers.

The rules, formally called the Number Plan Regulations 2025, are the result of roughly two years of considering inputs from the country’s four main mobile networks.

Icasa previously published its planned amendments to the regulations in September 2023, describing aspects relating to churn rates, inactivity periods, quarantine periods, and deactivation notifications.

It has now updated the rules after submissions from Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Cell C to address key issues with the proposals.

“The Authority received submissions that reflected that though the principle of standardising the recycling period was accepted, concerns were raised regarding the period of inactivity,” Icasa said.

“These proposed amendments seek to further clarify and standardise terms and processes related to the recycling and recycling period of mobile numbers.”

The latest rules include the introduction of a formal definition of an “inactive mobile number” as one that has not performed a “revenue-generating activity” for 90 consecutive calendar days.

A revenue-generating activity is any action by a subscriber that may generate revenue for a mobile network provider, including using voice services, SMS, MMS, or mobile data.

Under the latest regulations, mobile networks must notify the relevant subscribers of their intention to deactivate a mobile phone number that has not generated revenue for 60 consecutive calendar days.

Over the next 30 calendar days, referred to as a “grace period,” the mobile network is required to send periodic reminders to the subscriber of the impending deactivation.

A subscriber can either perform a revenue-generating activity on the number or apply for a 183-day exemption to retain use of the assigned phone number.

If 90 consecutive calendar days lapse with an assigned mobile phone number not performing a revenue-generating activity, it can be deactivated.

However, it must be quarantined for 30 days before being placed back into circulation or assigned to a subscriber.

The table below summarises how the timeframe for number recycling, including deactivation and quarantine, will work.

Purpose of the quarantine

During the quarantine, a number is not active on the host or any other network and no communications is routed to and from the mobile number.

Icasa said the quarantine would serve three primary purposes:

• For a “cooling-off” period for dissociation between the number’s previous use and future use;
• Reconciliation across networks; and
• Providing time for the previous number user to make contact information updates.

It should be noted that these regulations do not apply to users on a postpaid service plan, which will have regular subscription payments.

The previous version of the regulations proposed that a 30-day period be used for a number to be considered inactive.

In their responses, MTN, Cell C, and Vodacom proposed 120 days for full deactivation, while Telkom proposed 90 days. However, time frames for the inactivity, grace, and quarantine periods varied.

Icasa said considering the majority consensus and to maintain a standard period for comparison, 120 days was preferred as the churn rate assessment period.

To calculate the subscriber churn rate, mobile networks must start by counting how many numbers had not initiated a revenue-generating activity for 90 consecutive calendar days.

This figure must be divided by the quantity of active numbers at the beginning of the defined timeframe.

Icasa has given the public 30 days to comment on the Numbering Plan Regulations 2025. Submissions can be sent via email to [email protected].