How long does it take before Telkom deactivates an unused SIM? That’s a question that you may have been asking yourself. If you have not been using your Telkom SIM, you have a limited amount of time before it is deactivated. That’s universal across the board. SIM cards that are not used are deactivated and the numbers recycled by all the networks in South Africa. So, how long can you keep a Telkom SIM inactive?
How long can you keep a Telkom SIM inactive?
We reached out to Telkom to ask them about the SIM card deactivation and number recycling policy. The following is what they told us;
Telkom gives customers 90 days after which SIM cards that are not being used are deactivated and the numbers recycled.
What does it mean to have a number recycled?
That’s how long before Telkom deactivates an unused SIM. Having your number recycled simply means it is being given to somebody else. That may not be the best from the point of view of the person receiving the number.
There have been several cases of people complaining that the numbers they got were being called by complete strangers. That’s because these people would have received recycled numbers.
From the point of view of the person whose number is being recycled, it means that’s the end. Once your number is given to somebody else, there is no hope of you ever getting it back. So, you may need to do something before that happens.
Why is there such an issue
Hundreds of SIM cards get disabled across South Africa on a daily basis. That’s because a lot of people in the country have SIM cards for all the networks. You are here asking how long before Telkom deactivates an unused SIM because you probably have a Telkom SIM that you only use occasionally.
Most people have multiple SIMs belonging to different networks. Part of this is down to people wanting to make savings. You see a deal on Telkom and you get a Telkom SIM. You see another on Vodacom and you get a Vodacom SIM.
At the end of the day, you end up having SIM cards for all the major networks. So, the solution to this would be for you to know how long before Telkom deactivates an unused SIM. That way, you can take some time to put 10 or 20 rand into that SIM every now and again to keep it activated.
Summary: How Long Before Telkom Deactivates an Unused SIM
In this article, we answered a question being asked by those wanting to know how long they can keep their Telkom SIMs inactive. We noted that Telkom customers have 90 days after which their SIMs are disabled and their numbers recycled. So, that’s something to keep in mind.
You may also be interested in our article on the Telkom SMS centre number. Otherwise, if you have other questions, post them to the SA Broadband Forum. Our panel of experts should be able to help you.