Regulation

ICASA fines Session Telecoms over telecoms rule breaches

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Category: Regulation
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ICASA fines Session Telecoms over telecoms rule breaches

South Africa's communications regulator ICASA has fined B2B telecoms provider Session Telecoms ZAR6 million (US$340,000) after finding the company misused telecoms numbering resources, violating national regulations.

The sanctions follow a complaint filed by MTN in April 2023, which alleged Session used practices including disguising international calls as local ones through techniques such as SIM-boxing and caller ID manipulation. Following a two-year investigation and hearings, ICASA's Complaints and Compliance Committee concluded that Session had breached the country's Numbering Plan Regulations.

The regulator said Session violated two regulations governing the use of telephone numbers and imposed separate fines of ZAR3 million for each offence.

Alongside the financial penalties, ICASA ordered the company to stop the offending practices immediately, blocked the telephone numbers involved to prevent further misuse, and said they would be withdrawn where necessary. Session must also submit monthly compliance reports, including call records and international traffic data, for the next 24 months.

ICASA Chairperson of the Numbering Plan Resources Committee, Mushi Mushi, said: "ICASA regards compliance with the Numbering Plan Regulations as essential to maintaining the integrity, efficiency and security of the national numbering system. Numbering resources are a scarce national asset and must be used responsibly by licensed operators to ensure the reliable delivery of electronic communications services."

Practices such as SIM-boxing have long been a headache for operators across Africa. They allow international calls to be routed through local SIM cards so they appear to be domestic calls, enabling fraudsters to avoid international termination fees and reducing revenues for operators and governments. ICASA said the ruling is intended to protect the integrity of South Africa's telecoms networks, promote fair competition



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