Refund & cancellation policy

1. Scope

This policy covers fees paid directly to Black Mobile for use of our APIs (SMS, USSD, WhatsApp, Email, Voice), our hosted dashboards, and any add-on services we sell. It does not cover charges levied by third parties — such as mobile network operators, WhatsApp Business Solution Provider fees, or carrier surcharges — which are passed through at cost and are non-refundable once incurred.

2. Subscriptions

Subscription plans (monthly or annual platform access fees) renew automatically at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date.

• Monthly plans may be cancelled at any time. Access continues until the end of the current billing month; no further charges are made. The current month is non-refundable except where required by law.
• Annual plans are billed up-front. If you cancel within 14 days of the initial payment and you have not consumed more than 10% of the included credits, we will refund the full annual fee. After 14 days, annual fees are non-refundable, but you retain access to the platform until the end of the paid term.
• Mid-term downgrades are effective on the next renewal date; we do not pro-rate refunds when you move to a smaller plan within the current billing period.

3. Prepaid credits

Prepaid message and session credits purchased in bulk are refundable as follows:

• Unused credits may be refunded at the original purchase price for up to 90 days after the purchase date. Submit a refund request through the portal or by emailing billing@blackmobile.io.
• Consumed credits — credits used to send a message, complete a USSD session, place a call, or deliver an email — are not refundable, even if the end recipient did not receive the message due to user error (e.g. invalid number), opt-out, or device unavailability.
• Promotional or bonus credits issued at no cost are non-refundable and have no cash value.
• Credits older than 12 months from the purchase date may expire and are not refundable after expiry.

4. Non-refundable items

The following are never refundable, regardless of usage:

• Pass-through MNO termination fees once the message or call has been routed to the carrier.
• WhatsApp Business conversation fees billed by Meta.
• Premium short-code rental, dedicated number rental, and sender-ID registration fees for completed billing periods.
• Setup, integration, training, or professional services fees once the work has been delivered or started.
• Any service consumed against a free trial.

5. Cancellation process

To cancel a subscription or close your account:

1. Log in at portal.blackkonnect.io and navigate to Billing → Subscription → Cancel plan.
2. Choose whether to cancel at end-of-term (default) or close the account immediately.
3. Confirm via the email we send to the registered billing contact.

If you cannot access the portal — for example because your billing contact has changed — email billing@blackmobile.io from the email address on file. We will verify your identity and process the cancellation manually within 3 business days.

6. Refund window & timing

Eligible refunds are processed within 10 business days of approval. We refund to the original payment method where possible. If the original method has expired or is unavailable, we will issue an account credit of equal value or, on request, transfer funds to a bank account in your name.

Cross-border refunds (outside Botswana, South Africa, and the SADC corridor) may take an additional 5–7 business days to clear depending on the receiving bank.

7. Disputed charges

If you believe you have been charged in error, contact us at billing@blackmobile.io within 60 days of the charge appearing on your invoice. Include the invoice number, the disputed line item, and any supporting documentation. We will respond within 5 business days with a resolution or a request for more information.

Please do not initiate a chargeback with your card issuer until you have given us a reasonable opportunity to resolve the dispute. Chargebacks may result in temporary suspension of your account while the dispute is investigated.

8. Force majeure & service interruptions

We do not refund fees for service interruptions caused by events outside our reasonable control, including but not limited to: MNO outages, undersea-cable failures, regulatory takedowns, force majeure events, or actions by foreign governments. Where an interruption is caused by Black Mobile and exceeds the uptime commitments in your SLA, the SLA credit terms in your agreement apply and supersede this section.