The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has published the Numbering Plan Fourth Amendment Regulations (2025) to create a standardised framework for the churn, deactivation and recycling of inactive mobile numbers.
This will ensure the efficient use of mobile numbers that supports long-term sustainability of the numbering resources, provide reasonable opportunity for subscribers to retain their numbers before deactivation and provide regulatory clarity and certainty across the sector.
“These amended regulations aim to standardise how mobile numbers are managed across all operators and protect consumers from losing access to their mobile numbers without adequate notice,” said Icasa numbering resources committee chairperson councillor Cathrine Mushi.
To facilitate the implementation of the regulations and enable licensees sufficient time to undertake the necessary network and system changes, the authority has provided for a six-month transitional period from the date of publication of the regulations.
This followed the review and amendment of the Numbering Plan Regulations (2016) in September 2023, which culminated into the Draft Numbering Plan Fourth
