South Africans risk losing inactive prepaid phone numbers after 90 days under new ICASA rules

South Africa’s communications regulator is making a critical move in the country’s numbering administration by introducing a period of 90 days for inactive phone numbers, after which such numbers will be redistributed to another subscriber.

According to the revised Numbering Plan Regulations, 2026, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is reforming the numbering system by focusing on the deactivation and recycling of unused mobile numbers.

The amended regulation also provides clear guidelines on how telecom operators must handle the deactivation of unused and inactive phone lines, notification of affected users and the process of making the phone number available for reassignment to another customer.

ICASA has provided telecom operators a period of six months, effective 1 July 2026, to transition and configure their systems in compliance with the new provisions.

However, the deactivation rule only applies to prepaid customers and not to postpaid mobile customers.

Customers affected by the new rule

In its definition, ICASA noted that South Africans will lose access to their phone lines after 90 straight days of inactivity.

Explaining the context of inactivity, it noted that a mobile number can be declared inactive if it hasn’t performed any revenue-generating activity for 90 consecutive calendar days. It added that these activities include the use of voice services, SMS, mobile data, and value-added services (VAS).

To prevent issues such as customers’ complaints of being unaware, ICASA provided guidelines on how telecom operators are to send reminder notifications to concerned users.

Under the rule, a network operator must notify a subscriber who has not engaged in any revenue-generating activity for 60 consecutive days. Likewise, such notification must contain an intent to deactivate the number for another 30 consecutive days.

Within the 30 days, such subscribers are expected to make the phone number active by making it generate revenue through voice services, SMS, mobile data, or VAS to keep their number active.

If a customer fails to render revenue-generating service during these 30 days, ICASA said the telecom operator must send the subscriber at least two reminders, including a final reminder on the day before the deactivation.

Once a deactivation is made, the communication regulator noted that operators must quarantine the number for 1 month before returning it to the pool of available numbers for recycling. During this period, the number is not active on the host or any other network, and no communications are routed to and from the mobile number.

Explaining the essence of the quarantine, ICASA said it serves as a “cooling-off” period for dissociation between the number’s previous use and future use. It will also provide time for the previous number user to make contact information updates.

Following the 1-month quarantine, such phone numbers will be made available for reassignment.

Also Read: SIM Swap and its loopholes: How fraudsters steal your phone number and drain your savings.

How to keep your number during an inactive period

If a user anticipates that their phone number may be inactive for more than 60 days up to 90 days, provisions are in place to prevent deactivation.

As contained in the document, such customers can apply for an exemption to retain their number. Such an exemption, which comes at no cost, is then valid for 183 days from the application date.

Once approved, the deactivation process would be halted immediately. Specifically, this exemption process is an avenue for South Africans travelling out of the country for a while to protect their phone lines from being deactivated.

From the Nigerian scenario

Under the Telecoms Identity Risks Management System (TIRMS), if a prepaid SIM has no revenue-generating activity for six consecutive months or 180 days, the line is deactivated. There are ongoing efforts in the House of Representatives to extend the waiting period to 540 days.

Before churning of a line, operators are to send a notification to the affected subscriber through an alternative line or an email at least 14 days before the final date for the churn of the number.

Also, the TIRMS platform regulates the reassignment of dormant mobile phone numbers and actively curbs fraudulent activity from reassigned numbers.