New ICASA 2026 Numbering Plan Regulations

What ICASA’s New 2026 Numbering Plan Regulations Mean for Your SIM Fleet

ICASA has officially published the Numbering Plan Fourth Amendment Regulations, 2026, introducing standardised national rules for how mobile network operators manage inactive mobile numbers, deactivations, and number recycling.

Key Highlights of the Regulations:

• 60-Day Inactivity Threshold: Prepaid SIMs with no revenue-generating activity (calls, SMS, or data usage) for 60 consecutive days will be flagged for deactivation.
• 30-Day Notice & Grace Period: Operators must give subscribers 30 days to perform an activity (like consuming data) to keep their number active.
• 183-Day Extended Retention: Businesses can apply for a paid exemption to hold inactive prepaid numbers for up to 6 months.
• Postpaid Exemption: Corporate/Enterprise contract SIMs are completely exempt from inactivity deactivations.

Implementation Dates & Transition Window

• Gazette & Effective Date: Gazetted on 1 July 2026.
• 6-Month Transitional Period: ICASA granted all mobile network operators a 6-month grace window from publication to update internal provisioning systems, billing engines, and notification tools.
• Full Industry Enforcement: Mandatory enforcement across all mobile networks commences in January 2027.