Retain Your Mobile Number When Changing Networks in the Philippines — Here’s How

Finally, mobile number portability is a thing in the Philippines. That means you no longer have to change your contact number every time you switch to a different network provider, something a lot of Filipinos can certainly relate to.

Free and easy mobile number portability

Effective 30 Sep 2021, mobile phone users in the country can keep their numbers “forever.” This is through the help of Republic Act No. 11202, which requires participating telecommunications companies to provide their subscribers ownership of these unique digits. It’s otherwise known as the Mobile Number Portability Act.

If you’re a user of Smart or Globe, changing mobile numbers would be as easy as sending a text message. But unlike the latter, it’s totally free to do so. Users of the new provider, DITO, would also have the same privilege. DITO is formerly known as the Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company, Inc. or Mislatel. Together, the three companies form the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc or TCI.

Also read: 8 Mobile Banking Apps Every Pinoy Should Have

The other benefits of the Mobile Phone Portability to phone users in the Philippines are as follows: it will only take 52 hours of waiting before being able to use your new network; it’s available for both prepaid and postpaid users; and you can switch networks as many times as you want — subject to certain conditions.

Change number without switching network

Once you’re already subscribed to either Smart, Globe, or DITO, all you need is to send what’s known as a porting application when you want to change to the other provider. This service would encourage the companies to improve their services to gain customer loyalty, according to the Act’s primary author.

Under the Mobile Number Portability Act, it would also be possible to enjoy the same benefits for other services. These include switching from prepaid to postpaid, or vice versa. Furthermore, the participating service providers won’t be able to lock in your device to just a single network, otherwise called a SIM or network lock.

Also read: 7 Best (and Affordable!) Camera Phones to Get This 2020

After applying for a change in the network, wait for a text message from your new provider, which will contain information on how to pick up your new SIM card. During this period, you should have no pending network transfer. A mandatory 60-day period before switching to another network will help prevent this.