The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) offices in Nairobi/FILEThe Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has opened a public consultation on proposed safeguards for the deactivation and recycling of inactive telecommunication numbers.
The regulator said the proposed measures are aimed at strengthening the management of Kenya’s numbering resources while protecting the rights and interests of consumers assigned mobile numbers.
The authority has developed the Proposed Draft Procedural and Technical Safeguards for the Deactivation and Recycling of Inactive Telecommunication Numbering Resources, which will guide how inactive mobile numbers are handled.
The public has been invited to review the proposals and submit their views before the September 11, 2026 deadline.
“Members of the public are invited to submit their memoranda on the draft guidelines by September 11th, 2026,” the Communications Authority said in a notice.
Submissions are to be made through the email address [email protected].
The proposed safeguards come as the regulator seeks to ensure Kenya’s numbering resources are managed efficiently while taking into account the interests of millions of mobile phone users.
Mobile numbers are a key component of Kenya’s telecommunications infrastructure, with the numbering resources managed by the Communications Authority as part of its regulatory mandate.
The Authority said the proposed framework is intended to provide procedural and technical safeguards for the deactivation and subsequent recycling of numbers that are no longer active.
The measures are also expected to provide greater clarity on how inactive numbers are managed before they can potentially be assigned to other users.
The consultation gives consumers, telecommunications operators, industry stakeholders and other members of the public an opportunity to examine the proposed safeguards and raise concerns or make recommendations before the guidelines are finalised.
The Authority said the initiative is part of its broader responsibility to effectively manage the country’s numbering resources and safeguard consumers of ICT services.
“In a bid to effectively manage the country's numbering resources, and safeguard the rights and interests of ICT service consumers assigned numbering resources, the Authority has developed draft procedural and technical safeguards for deactivation and recycling of inactive mobile numbers,” the regulator said.
The Communications Authority is the regulatory agency responsible for information and communications in Kenya.
Its mandate covers telecommunications, cybersecurity, e-commerce, broadcasting and postal and courier services.
The Authority is also responsible for managing the country’s numbering and frequency spectrum resources, administering the Universal Service Fund and safeguarding the interests of consumers of ICT services.
The proposed rules on inactive mobile numbers could have implications for consumers who stop using particular numbers for extended periods.
The recycling of inactive numbers is a common feature of telecommunications systems, as regulators and operators seek to ensure that finite numbering resources are used efficiently.
However, the process can also raise consumer protection concerns, particularly where previously assigned numbers are later issued to new users.
