Privacy Policy (POPIA)

TECHCONET CC – PRIVACY POLICY (POPIA)

1. INTRODUCTION Techconet CC (Registration Number: 2003/039340/23), located at 31 Lobelia Street, Riversdale, 6670 (“Techconet”, “we”, “us”, or “our”), is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”) and other applicable South African laws.

By using our Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, PPPoE connections, Wi-Fi hotspots, vouchers, and related services, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT To provide our internet services, perform physical installations, and comply with statutory obligations, we collect the following categories of personal information:

• Identity and Contact Data: Full name, South African Identity Number or Passport Number, physical address (for Fixed Wireless installations and Proof of Residence), email address, and mobile phone number.

• Technical & Network Data: PPPoE usernames, Media Access Control (MAC) addresses of your routers/CPE devices, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses assigned to you, device types, and signal strength diagnostics.

• Usage & Traffic Data: Connection timestamps, PPPoE session durations, bandwidth usage, and network traffic logs. (Note: We do not monitor the content of your encrypted communications, but we do log connection routing and session data as required by law).

• Financial & Billing Data: Billing information, banking details (for monthly subscriptions), payment records, and prepaid voucher transaction histories.

3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION Techconet processes your personal information only for specific, lawful purposes, including:

• Service Delivery & Installations: To schedule and perform Fixed Wireless equipment installations at your premises, activate your internet access via PPPoE or Voucher, and manage overall network performance.

• Legal Compliance: To fulfill our obligations under the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act (RICA) and the Cybercrimes Act.

• Customer Support: To troubleshoot network issues, monitor CPE antenna health remotely, respond to inquiries, and provide technical assistance.

• Billing and Administration: To process monthly subscription fees, issue invoices, manage prepaid vouchers, and maintain your account.

4. RETENTION OF DATA We will not retain your personal information for longer than is necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

• Traffic, PPPoE, and Connection Logs: Retained securely on our servers for a legally prescribed period of 180 days, after which they are automatically rotated and deleted.

• RICA Documentation & Customer Files: Retained for the duration of your active service contract and for a legally prescribed period after service termination or cancellation.

5. SHARING AND DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION Techconet does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We will only share your information under the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share necessary technical data with upstream internet backbone providers, fiber operators, or software vendors strictly for the provision of connectivity and network management.

• Law Enforcement: We will disclose personal information, installation addresses, and network logs to the South African Police Service (SAPS) or other regulatory authorities only when presented with a valid subpoena, court order, or formal RICA directive.

6. DATA SECURITY We implement robust technical and organizational measures to safeguard your personal data. This includes secure Virtual Private Servers (VPS), encrypted databases for PPPoE credentials, password-protected administrative interfaces, and restricted employee access. However, no internet transmission is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of data transmitted across public networks.

7. YOUR RIGHTS UNDER POPIA As a data subject, you have the right to:

• Request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you.

• Request access to the record or a description of the personal information we hold.

• Request the correction or deletion of inaccurate, irrelevant, or outdated information.

• Object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable legal grounds.

• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

8. CONTACT DETAILS For any privacy-related questions, to exercise your rights, or to submit a request, please contact our designated Information Officer:

• Company: Techconet CC

• Address: 31 Lobelia Street, Riversdale, 6670

• Email: admin@techconet.co.za

• Phone: 0814112422