Article headline in news24

"Mobile users who do not perform a revenue-generating activity with their assigned number for 90 days will have their number deactivated and recycled, unless they request otherwise, under updated regulations set to come into effect for mobile operators soon"

I almost never buy airtime or data an use primarily wifi networks and I know some folk have loaded WhatsApp or similar and then disposed of the Sim. If this comes into effect then it may become an issue as I really am an infrequent punter. Don't want to have to find a new punter Sim dealer each time I wanna visit a lovely lady.

This has actually been a rule in telcos from decades ago. The idea was to stimulate revenue by forcing usage.

However, because they like to lie to shareholders and the public to inflate share price, they have not been cancelling these sim cards so they can report higher customer numbers and growth to the public which then makes it look like they're doing much better than they are so share price does up. Same with contracts where you the customer think you cancelled and gone prepaid but they the SP switches you over to a zero rated contract in the backend so they can report higher contract customer numbers.

Easy way around this is to stash the SIM card if you don't keep it in the phone. Then every 2-3 months but before the 90 days obviously you use it to make a few seconds call to your main number and that will generate a few cents of revenue for them and reset your counter for another 90 days. Maybe just do it monthly at the beginning or end of the month so it's an easy to remember habit and you don't have to worry about being disconnected or losing your WA and that few cents once a month isn't gonna break the bank.

JP69

Don't they give out free sim cards where you stay ?