Icasa has introduced new rules forcing rollovers, prioritising older bundles, and giving users full control of their airtime. The days of wasted data and surprise charges will soon be over after the country’s regulator,Icasa, introduced new rules that force rollovers, prioritise older bundles, and give users full control of their airtime. This comes after widespread outrageover the rising costs of mobile data and complaints from users losing bundles before they could be fully used.
The new rules aim to protect consumers and make mobile services fairer. Among the key changes are that operators will be required to use older bundles first, allow automatic rollovers for most bundles, and stop out-of-bundle charges unless users explicitly opt in. The rules come into effect on January 23, 2027, giving operators a year to adapt.
The regulator also stated that operators must send notifications when bundle usage reaches 50%, 80%, and 100%, ensuring users stay informed and can manage their consumption. “A Licensee must send usage depletion notifications to end-users via SMS, push notification or any other applicable means, when usage reaches 50%, 80% and 100% depletion of each bundle.” Icasa also wants the rollover to happen automatically for all eligible bundles, ensuring that users do not lose any unused data, voice, or SMS. The regulator emphasised that this process must be free and require no customer action. “The rollover of bundles must occur without requiring action and without incurring any cost to the end-user, provided that the number remains active.”