The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) wants to limit the number of SIM cards people in the country can have to five per mobile network.

ICASA proposed the change in its amendments to South Africa’s Numbering Plan Regulations. Currently, the regulations don’t specify a maximum number of SIM cards per subscriber per network.

Vodacom allows up to 100 mobile numbers per identity number; MTN allows up to 10; Telkom allows up to 20; and Cell C does not limit the number of mobile numbers a subscriber can acquire.

ICASA has proposed changes to Regulation 6A of the Numbering Plan Regulations, and wants to introduce limits to the number of SIM cards a subscriber can have on each network.

“A licensee must limit the assignment of mobile numbers to a maximum of five mobile numbers per subscriber,” its proposed amendments read.

However, they specify that this limit will not apply to juristic persons, such as companies or organisations operating in South Africa.

ICASA said it considered several factors regarding the proposed limit on the number of mobile numbers per subscriber, including:

the legislative mandate to ensure the efficient use of numbers
reporting on access to and use of mobile services
“According to the General Household Survey 2024, South Africa’s population is estimated at 63 million. Of the estimated population, approximately 21 million are said to be minors,” ICASA said.

It added that its State of the ICT sector report revealed there were 117,316,338 active mobile subscriptions in South Africa, averaging 2.79 per person.

ICASA also cited data indicating that the average South African household size is estimated at 3.2 to 3.4 people.

“Balancing this with the need for efficient use of numbering resources, a limit of five mobile numbers per person per licensee is deemed appropriate,” it said.

“The proposed limit of five mobile numbers per subscriber appropriately balances the public’s need for access to electronic communications services with the authority’s legislative mandate.”

Subscribers must use multiple networks if they need more mobile numbers

ICASA acknowledged that there were circumstances where a subscriber may require more than 5 mobile numbers and said the limit would apply per licensee and not collectively across all networks.

“Accordingly, a subscriber may, in practice, be assigned more than 20 mobile numbers across different licensees,” it said.

“Therefore, the limit will not have the effect of restricting a subscriber’s access or use of mobile numbers.”

Regarding the exemption of juristic persons or non-human entities, ICASA said they were excluded because contracts govern their relationships with licensees.

Stakeholders have 30 working days or until 9 December 2026 to submit written representations relating to the proposed Numbering Plan Regulation amendments.

It remains to be seen what the proposed amendments will mean for mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which run on major networks’ infrastructure.

Currently, South African mobile networks have widely varying limits on how many SIM cards can be registered to one person, ranging from 10 on MTN’s network to 100 on Vodacom’s.

A frustrated MTN customer previously told MyBroadband about their challenges with the mobile network’s SIM card limits.

After reaching the maximum of 10 SIM cards on MTN’s network, he was prevented from registering additional SIM cards with MTN or with MVNOs that roam on MTN’s network.

This could be problematic for households where most SIMs are registered to the head of the household, as in this MTN customer’s case.

They explained that they were the head of a household of five, where most of the SIMs are registered against their ID and where each member uses dual-SIM phones to optimise voice and data costs.

Source: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/cellular/674641-rules-proposed-to-limit-people-to-five-sim-cards-per-mobile-network-in-south-africa.html