New data-expiry rules will be manageable and data usage in SA will continue to grow rapidly, says MTN CEO Rob Shuter. MTN was studying the End-User and Subscriber Service Charter Regulations that the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) published in late April, and was in talks with the regulator, Shuter said last week. The rules stipulate that mobile operators must allow customers to roll over unused data. They will also have to notify consumers when their usage is at 50%, 80% and 100%. Operators must also allow consumers to transfer data to others, while licencees will no longer be allowed to charge out-of-bundle rates for data when it is depleted without consumers giving "specific prior consent". Excelsia Capital analyst Mark Narramore, who is largely bullish on MTN, said the potential impact of the rules on data growth was "a big risk". Shuter, however, said parts of the regulations were "very sensible — things like notifications for customers, we do a lot of that ...
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