Icasa prepares for showdown with Cell C
File Image: Cell C
JOHANNESBURG – The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) is said to be preparing its answering affidavit for the interdict against its data expiry and out-of-bundle billing regulations.
The interdict was filed by Cell C, while MTN filed an affidavit in support of Cell C’s interdict, MyBroadband reported.
Earlier this year Icasa issued new regulations which sought to prohibit mobile network providers from charging out-of-bundle tariffs without the consent of their subscribers in a bid to regulate runaway data prices. According to the new regulations, among others, mobile network service providers must send usage depletion notifications to customers when their usage is at 50, 80 and 100 percent depletion levels so that they can avoid using their airtime.
Icasa also said that providers are also required to give customers the option to roll over unused data in a bid to ensure that customers do not lose unused data as is the current practice.
Meanwhile, the other player in South Africa’s mobile network providers industry, Vodacom Group, said it was working out the financial impact of the end user and subscriber service charter regulations earlier this year in May.
Cell C, MTN, Telkom, and Vodacom requested an extension for the implementation deadline of the new rules, as they said they needed more time to make the necessary technical changes, My Broadband further reported.
It was reported that Icasa declined the deadline, stating that it was not in the public’s interest to do so.
– BUSINESS REPORT
Source: iol.co.za
