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The expiry option for data bundles on mobile telephone operator Safaricom has been scrapped off.
Safaricom has given it's customers the option to purchase bundles that will not expire. The telco has also retained option for its clients to buy data bundles that will expire.
This comes barely a day after a city lawyer sued the the telco giant alongside Airtel and Telcom.
Lawyer Adrian Kamotho argued that the telcos are illegally depriving consumers of their unused data bundles.
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The lawyer told the Communications and Multimedia Appeals Tribunal that he was aggrieved by the high cost of data and frustrated by the arbitrary expiry of hard-earned bundles.
“That an order directing the respondents to enable active subscribers to roll over used data at all times,” read part of his petition.
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Asking for data
Kamotho asked the tribunal to order Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom Kenya to furnish him with their current data tariffs or prominently display the current data tariffs on their websites.
He also wants the companies to stop depriving consumers of their unused data based on the data expiry model.
Mr Kamotho said the firms discriminate against consumers by charging “out of bundle” rates, which are different from normal bundle rates.
Out-of-bundle rates apply when data expires and operators start deducting cash from airtime for data usage—which tend to be expensive compared to in-bundle rates.
Order telcos to ban data expiry
He wants the tribunal to issue orders barring the application of differing prices for in-bundle and out-of-bundle costs.
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Mr Kamotho also asked the tribunal to direct the operators to seek subscribers’ consent before switching them to out-of-bundle rates.