Outcomes - Selected Case Summaries
Categories
Reuse of pre-paid mobile number
Informal Resolution | 15 June 2021
An individual complained that their pre-paid mobile service was disconnected and the number reassigned after a period of inactivity. He alleged violations under the first, fifth and sixth data protection principles.
We investigated the complaint, but did not uphold it. The mobile operator acted within the terms of the customer agreement. They had a lawful basis for deactivating the pre-paid SIM card when they did, and since the complainant had signed the customer agreement, he had been correctly informed of the processing and its purpose. The phone number was the individual’s personal data only for the duration of the contract, and the number was properly reassigned 60 days after it had become inactive. There was no violation of the fifth or sixth principle, and the data controller was not required to take any further steps.