Guys, this is massive.

As a Vodacom user, Just 4 You options have been lifesaving.

Although I understand that the data bundles are cheaper because they only “last” for a seven-day period, I’ve never quite understood how data can expire. Do I need to keep it in the fridge?

Well, thanks to the few who have been pushing the #DataMustFall conversations, we won’t have to figure out how to keep data fresher for longer because the pressure seems to have worked.

Yesterday, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) dropped a bombshell on South Africa’s network operators, announcing that it “plans to change the End-user and Subscriber Service Charter Regulations with aggressive mobile data regulations,” explains Business Tech.

That means that operators need to:

• SMS notifications at 50%, 75%, 90%, and 100% depletion of voice, SMS, or data bundles
• Allow users to choose whether they want to use out-of-bundle data.
• Give you the ability to top up your data.
• Adhere to set validity periods for data bundles, adding that operators must warn users seven days before their data expires:

These are the proposed validity periods for data bundle sizes:

Where’s the champagne at?! Popping bottles all around.

ICASA added that:

“A Licensee must ensure that an end-user is not defaulted automatically to out-of-bundle data charges upon depletion of data bundles.

“Where an end-user does not opt-in or opt-out of out-of-bundle data usage when a data bundle has been depleted, a Licensee must automatically disconnect the end-user from out-of-bundle data usage until such time that the end-user gives express consent or authorisation.

“If you recharge before the expiry date of your current data bundle, your unused data should roll over to the following month.”

ICASA said these regulations will come into force when they are published in the Government Gazette. Those interested in commenting on the proposed regulations have 30 days to do so from 7 August 2017.

I rate the only ones fighting this fight will be the operators themselves.

[source:mybroadband]