3 telcos team up for implementation of mobile number portability
TACLOBAN CITY—Switching networks without changing phone numbers will be a reality starting on Sept. 30, 2021. Dito Telecommunity, Smart Communications and Globe Telecom have formed the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI) which oversees the rollout of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Act. Under the MNP Act, a mobile phone user has to submit a porting application if he or she wants to change providers. The user can still keep his or her mobile number despite switching to another network. The user, however, may still need to inform her contacts he or she’s switching networks since networks have distinct prefix numbers like 0917 for Globe, 0988 for Smart and 2021 for Dito. Around 1 million mobile phone subscribers are projected to avail themselves of the program, said Melanie Manuel, TCI general manager. Adel Tamano, Dito’s chief administrative officer, said the MNP will now allow subscribers to change service providers “seamlessly and conveniently” without having to change their mobile phone numbers. “Essentially, what it does is it encourages competition and gives consumers the freedom to choose a provider with the best service,” Tamano said. The process to retain numbers may be done through SMS messaging but users have to drop by physical stores or offices of their service providers to get new SIM cards.
