Stop losing airtime to out-of-bundle charges. Learn how data limits work, when data expires, what carries over – and uncover the hidden service quirks quietly costing you money every single month.
Running out of data can be frustrating enough. Discovering that your phone has continued using mobile data and eaten into your airtime can make it even worse.
Understanding what happens when your bundle runs out, when data expires and whether unused data rolls over can help you stay connected without unwanted surprises.
What happens when your data runs out?
When your allocated data bundle is depleted, your mobile data does not necessarily work the same way across every price plan or bundle.
Depending on your plan and settings, data usage may stop or you may be charged at an applicable out-of-bundle (OOB) rate.
What exactly are out-of-bundle charges?
OOB charges are charges that apply when you use mobile data outside an applicable data bundle. This could be browsing the internet, checking emails, scrolling socials, using WhatsApp, or background app activity when you don’t have data.
The important thing to remember is that the rate can vary according to your price plan. For example, Vodacom publishes different OOB rates across its prepaid and contract offerings.
If you want to avoid unexpected costs, check whether your plan allows OOB usage and whether you have an OOB limit or lock available.
How can you stop data from eating into your airtime?
One of the easiest ways is to set a limit on your OOB data spend where the service is available to you.
Vodacom’s Out-of-Bundle Data Limit Lock allows eligible customers to set a Rand limit for OOB data spending. Once that limit is reached, data usage can be paused rather than continuing to generate OOB charges.
How to opt-out or limit out of bundle charges
- Dial *135#
- Select ‘Services,’ then ‘Next’
- Choose ‘Out-of-Bundle limit lock’
- You can then select the option to opt out of OOB charges or set a limit for OOB charges.
- Set your limit amount to R0.00 to completely prevent
You can also reduce unexpected data consumption by checking which apps are using the most mobile data. Background updates, automatic downloads and high-quality video streaming can consume data without you actively noticing. Learn how in this story.
Does unused data always roll over?
Not necessarily. Rollover depends on the specific bundle and its terms and conditions. Some bundles allow unused data to carry over, while others expire once their validity period ends.
For example, Vodacom’s weekly and fortnightly bundles can have their validity extended when additional bundles of the same size are purchased before the initial bundle expires.
The lesson? Don’t assume that buying a new bundle automatically means all your old data will remain available.
What happens when data expires?
Expiry and depletion are two different things. You can have data remaining in your bundle but still reach its validity date. Once a bundle expires and depending on which type it is, any unused data is permanently forfeited and lost.
To prevent your data going to waste you can share it with other Vodacom users before it expires. Learn more on how to transfer data.
So, always check both how much data you have left and when it expires.
How can you stay in control of your data?
Make checking your balance part of your routine. You can check Vodacom balances through the VodaPay app or by dialling *135# from a Vodacom SIM.
Before buying a bundle, check its validity period and whether it supports rollover. Then review your OOB settings so you know exactly what happens when your data runs out.
A few minutes of checking can prevent an unwelcome surprise on your airtime balance – and help make sure the data you’re paying for works harder for you.
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