How long can a SIM card be inactive on Vodacom in South Africa before it is deactivated? That’s a question that we get a lot from people. South Africa has 4 major mobile communication companies. Each has it’s own merits and demerits. That’s probably the reason why most people in the country own SIM cards for at least 2 of these networks. But, if you have an unused SIM, how long to do you have before Vodacom recycles that number?
How long before Vodacom recycles a number
We reached out to Vodacom and they gave us the following information;
If a Vodacom SIM has been inactive for 113 days, the sim will be suspended. If a SIM has been in-active for 120 days, the number will be deleted and recycled.
So basically, you have 113 days before your Vodacom SIM is suspended. From there, you still have the option of toping up your SIM to get your number suspension lifted. If you have gone beyond this period without using your SIM, it doesn’t automatically mean, however, that the number has already been recycled.
But should you get the 120 days without using your number, the number will be recycled. There is no recovering at this point. You number will be reallocated to somebody else. You will need to get in touch with Vodacom to find out if your number is still available.
What constitutes use?
So, what constitutes use in this case? Does it mean if you send a single SMS within 120 days your Vodacom SIM will not be recycled? Well, Vodacom is fairly flexible in this regard. Using your SIM can be about anything, including recharging, calling, sending messages etc.
Why are so many SIM cards inactive on Vodacom?
We have already given a partial answer to this. South Africans can be frugal sometimes. They want to make savings wherever possible. The situation is probably not unique to South Africa, but it’s most prevalent here.
As a result of this tight-pocketed nature, you will find that people use all the networks available in the country. What people will be looking for a deals and promotions that are run by these companies.
So, people are always switching from one network to the other in search for these deals and offers. Just to clarify issues; the following are the subscriber numbers for South Africa as of 2019;
- Vodacom 42.3 million
- MTN 30 million
- Cell C 17.2 million
- Telkom 9.7 million
- MVNO 1.8 million
That’s a total of 101 million mobile phone numbers in use in the country. But that could not be possible, since South Africa only had a population of 58.56 million as of 2019. So, what’s going on here? Well, it simply means a lot of people have more than one SIM.
The result is that a lot of these SIMs end up being used sparingly. You probably haven’t been using yours for some time. Hence you are here asking how long can a SIM card be inactive on Vodacom. Hopefully, this information has been of use to you.
Leave a comment below if you have something to say. You may also be interested in learning how to stop your airtime from disappearing on Vodacom. Also feel free to participate on our SA Broadband forum. Help others and get help today regarding any questions that you may have.