Check Active Subscriptions On Phone

Last checked: 25 June 2026

If your airtime is disappearing, the first step is to check active subscriptions on phone before you cancel, block, or dispute anything. In South Africa, these charges are often linked to content services, WASP billing, premium-rated services, or carrier-billed digital subscriptions.

Use the correct route for your network, check from the SIM that is being billed, and keep any SMS confirmations or screenshots as proof. Do not assume a refund or immediate reversal is guaranteed. First confirm what is active, cancel anything unwanted, and then escalate with evidence if charges continue.

Quick Code/Menu Answer

Network	Quick route to check active subscriptions	What to do next
Vodacom	Dial `135997#`. Vodacom says this route lets users view content services currently charged to the account, cancel a specific service, stop all content services, or block future content-service subscriptions. (Vodacom)	Use the view option first, then cancel only the service you do not recognise or use the stop-all option if needed.
MTN	Dial `*155#`. MTN says customers can view and cancel content and subscription services through this code. (MTN South Africa)	Open the subscriptions or content-services menu, cancel unwanted services, and keep the confirmation SMS.
Cell C	WASPA lists `1331#` as the Cell C route for blocking existing and future content billing. (WASPA)	Use the Cell C menu from the Cell C SIM. If the menu does not show the service details, ask Cell C support to confirm what is billing your number.
Telkom Mobile	Telkom says users can manage subscriptions through the Telkom Mobile App or Self-Service portal by selecting the product, mobile number, subscription, and content services. (Telkom)	Use the app or self-service route first. WASPA also says Telkom users can manage premium content subscriptions under My Products > Subscriptions > Content Services. (WASPA)

If you are not sure which guide to use after checking, start with cancel subscription USSD code South Africa. If you already know your network, go directly to MTN subscription cancellation code or Vodacom subscription cancellation code.

Provider-by-Provider Options

Vodacom

For Vodacom, dial *135*997# from the Vodacom SIM that is being billed. Vodacom’s Add to Bill support page says users can reply 1 to view content services currently charged to the account, reply with the number of a specific service and STOPto cancel it, use the stop-all option, or block future content-service subscriptions from the same route. (Vodacom)

Use this route if your Vodacom airtime is disappearing, if you received a subscription SMS, or if you see content-service billing linked to your Vodacom number.

After checking, use Vodacom subscription cancellation code if you need the full cancellation steps.

MTN

For MTN, dial *155# from the MTN SIM. MTN’s official help page says this code can be used to view and cancel content and subscription services. (MTN South Africa)

Some older or alternative help references may mention other MTN menus, but for this page the safest published route to start with is the current MTN help route. Follow the wording shown on your phone and look for labels such as subscriptions, content services, premium services, view, cancel, stop, or block.

After checking, use MTN subscription cancellation code if you need MTN-specific cancellation guidance.

Cell C

For Cell C, WASPA lists *133*1# as the route to block existing and future content billing. (WASPA) Use it from the Cell C SIM that is losing airtime or receiving subscription messages.

If the USSD menu does not show enough detail, contact Cell C through an official support route and ask them to confirm:

which content services are active;
which company is billing your number;
whether the billing is WASP, premium SMS, bundle renewal, or normal usage;
whether a content-billing block can be applied;
whether a case reference can be issued.

Do not rely only on memory or old screenshots. Subscription menus and labels can change.

Telkom Mobile

For Telkom Mobile, Telkom’s official direct carrier billing page points users to the Telkom Mobile App or Self-Service portal to manage subscriptions. The listed route is to log in, select the product, select the mobile number, select subscription, and then select content services. (Telkom)

WASPA also lists the Telkom app route for premium content subscriptions as My Products > Subscriptions > Content Services. It also says Telkom users can enable a protection setting under My Products > Manage > Protect Your Mobile Number to block WASP subscriptions. (WASPA)

Use Telkom’s app or self-service route when you want to see active content services instead of only trying a cancellation code.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Check the correct network and SIM

Before dialling any code, confirm which SIM is being billed. This matters especially on dual-SIM phones. A USSD code sent from SIM 1 will not check subscriptions on SIM 2.

Check:

the network name on the phone;
which SIM is used for calls and USSD;
which number received the subscription SMS;
whether airtime is disappearing from prepaid balance or appearing as a charge on an account;
whether the deduction happens daily, weekly, monthly, or after using mobile data.

If you are using a dual-SIM phone, open the phone app carefully and choose the correct SIM before sending the USSD request.

2. Use the active-subscription route for your provider

Dial the network code or open the network app route listed above. Choose the menu option that sounds closest to:

subscriptions;
content services;
premium services;
digital services;
WASP services;
manage services;
view services;
cancel services;
block services.

Menu wording can change, so follow the options shown on your screen rather than forcing an old step-by-step path.

3. Write down what appears before cancelling

Before you cancel, record the service name, charge amount, date, shortcode, or provider name if the menu shows it. This helps if you later need to dispute airtime deductions.

Keep:

screenshots of the active-subscription menu;
the original subscription SMS;
the cancellation confirmation SMS;
airtime balance before and after cancellation;
date and time of the cancellation attempt;
the network case reference if you contact support.

4. Cancel unwanted active services

If the menu shows a service you do not recognise, cancel it through the same menu where available. On Vodacom, the published route allows users to view currently charged content services and cancel a specific service by replying with the service number and STOP. (Vodacom) MTN says users can view and cancel subscriptions through *155#. (MTN South Africa)

After cancelling, wait for a confirmation message. Do not delete it.

5. Block future content services where available

Cancelling an active service and blocking future services are not always the same thing. Cancellation stops an existing service. A block helps prevent new content-service billing where your provider offers that option.

Vodacom says users can block future content-service purchases and subscriptions through *135*997#. (Vodacom) WASPA lists blocking or protection routes for several networks, including Cell C, Telkom, Vodacom, and MTN premium-rated-service controls. (WASPA)

For a broader explanation, use stop WASP subscriptions.

6. Monitor your airtime after cancellation

After cancelling or blocking, check your airtime balance again. If airtime is still disappearing, the issue may not be the same active subscription.

Possible causes include:

background mobile data usage;
out-of-bundle data charges;
premium SMS;
recurring bundle renewal;
airtime transfer activity;
another active content service;
account or SIM restrictions;
delayed billing from an earlier service.

WASPA warns that disappearing airtime is not always caused by WASP billing and can also come from data usage, premium-rated SMS, airtime transfers, or USSD competition entries. (WASPA)

Common Problems and Fixes

The code does not work

If the code fails, do not keep retrying quickly. First check signal, SIM selection, and network name. Then restart the phone and try again once.

If the problem continues, use the provider’s app, self-service portal, or customer-care route. Telkom, for example, points users to the Telkom Mobile App or Self-Service portal for managing direct carrier billing subscriptions. (Telkom)

The phone says “connection problem or invalid MMI code”

This can happen when the phone cannot complete the USSD request. Common causes include poor signal, wrong SIM selection, old menu paths, network downtime, or handset settings.

Safe checks:

move to a stronger signal area;
confirm mobile network is available;
make sure the correct SIM is selected;
restart the phone;
try again later;
use the provider’s official app or support route if the USSD menu still fails.

For more troubleshooting, use connection problem or invalid MMI code.

The menu shows no active subscriptions

If the menu says there are no active subscriptions but airtime is still disappearing, check other causes before assuming the menu is wrong.

Look at:

data balance;
bundle expiry;
recurring bundles;
premium SMS;
airtime transfer history;
itemised billing if you are on contract;
messages from shortcodes or content providers.

Use check airtime balance USSD code and check data balance USSD code to compare balances before and after the deduction.

The service comes back after cancellation

If the same service appears again, save the new message and contact your network. Ask for a case reference and request confirmation of whether the service was reactivated, whether another service is billing you, or whether the earlier cancellation did not complete.

Do not share OTPs, banking PINs, card details, online banking passwords, SIM-swap codes, or ID documents with anyone claiming they can cancel the subscription for you through an unofficial channel.

The airtime deduction continues after blocking

Blocking content services should reduce the risk of future WASP or premium-service billing, but it does not stop every possible airtime deduction. Normal data usage, out-of-bundle charges, recurring bundles, and other account activity may still reduce airtime.

If deductions continue, ask your provider for a breakdown of recent charges. Give them the date, time, balance before and after, and any cancellation SMS you received.

You want a refund

Do not assume a refund is automatic. First cancel the service, block future billing where possible, and collect evidence. Then ask the network or content provider to investigate.

If you believe the service was added without permission, keep the subscription SMS, cancellation SMS, charge amount, date, and mobile number. WASPA provides consumer support routes for unwanted WASP billing and advises users to identify the actual cause of airtime loss before escalating. (WASPA)

Use the next guide that matches your problem:

cancel subscription USSD code South Africa — use this if you need the broader cancellation hub.
Vodacom subscription cancellation code — use this if the active subscription is on Vodacom.
MTN subscription cancellation code — use this if the active subscription is on MTN.
stop WASP subscriptions — use this if the issue is content-service or WASP billing.
check airtime balance USSD code — use this to monitor airtime before and after cancellation.
check data balance USSD code — use this if airtime may be disappearing because of data usage.
connection problem or invalid MMI code — use this if the code fails.

FAQ

What is the code to check active subscriptions on phone?

The code depends on your network. Vodacom users can dial *135*997# to view content services currently charged to the account. (Vodacom) MTN says users can dial *155# to view and cancel subscriptions. (MTN South Africa) Telkom points users to the Telkom Mobile App or Self-Service portal for managing subscriptions and content services. (Telkom) For Cell C, WASPA lists *133*1# for blocking existing and future content billing. (WASPA)

How can I check whether a paid subscription is active on my SIM?

Use the subscription or content-services route for your network and check from the SIM that is being billed. Look for menu items such as content services, subscriptions, premium services, WASP services, view services, manage services, cancel, or block.

Does the USSD code need airtime or data?

USSD menus are opened from the phone dialler, so they do not work like a website or mobile app that needs mobile data. However, availability can still depend on your SIM, network coverage, account status, roaming status, and whether the provider still supports that menu path. Do not assume every code works on every SIM.

What should I do if the code does not work?

Check that you are using the correct SIM and the correct network code. Then retry in a stronger signal area. If it still fails, use the provider’s official app, self-service portal, store, or support route and ask them to check active content services manually.

Can I block future content-service subscriptions?

Yes, some networks provide a block or protection option. Vodacom says future content-service purchases and subscriptions can be blocked through *135*997#. (Vodacom) WASPA also lists Telkom app protection settings and Cell C content-billing blocking routes. (WASPA)

Why is airtime still disappearing after I cancelled subscriptions?

The deduction may be caused by something else, such as background data use, out-of-bundle data, premium SMS, recurring bundle renewal, or airtime transfer activity. WASPA notes that disappearing airtime can have several causes and is not always a WASP subscription. (WASPA)

Can I get a refund for unwanted subscription charges?

A refund is not guaranteed. Keep evidence, cancel the service, block future billing where possible, and ask your network to investigate. If you believe the subscription was unauthorised, provide the service name, amount, dates, SMS messages, and cancellation proof when escalating.

Where should I report suspicious subscription messages?

Start with your mobile network if airtime is being deducted. If the issue involves WASP or content-service billing, use the network’s support route and keep all proof. Never send your PIN, OTP, banking details, ID documents, or passwords to a number that claims it can cancel subscriptions for you.