Cii Radio| Ayesha Ismail|26 April 2018| 09 Shabaan 1439
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has announced four new regulations to end-user and subscriber services charters at a briefing in Johannesburg.
Icasa said that, while the regulations do not seek to directly or indirectly regulate costs, they improve regulations around data, SMS and voice services.
They are:
• Service providers must notify users when their data falls below 50%, 80% and 100%. “This will enable consumers to monitor their usage and control spend on communication services,” said Icasa.
• Users will now be allowed to carry over unused data to next month. All licensees are required to provide this option. “This is to ensure that consumers do not lose unused data as is the current practice,” said Icasa.
• It expects all network providers to allow consumers to transfer data to other users on the same network.
• Service providers will no longer be allowed to charge consumers out-of-bundle rates when data has run out without the consumers’ specific prior consent.
“After the regulations are published, service providers will be given a month to comply”, said Icasa CEO Willington Ngwepe.
“The regulations are in the public interest and will help users make informed decisions on how best to make use of their mobile communication, particularly users who are on prepaid packages,” he said.
“The regulations will be gazetted in the next few days and service providers are expected to comply.”
Source – News 24
