May forever! With the mobile number that you are using, that is.
Thanks to a new law signed by the President last February, us Pinoys now get to keep our mobile numbers even when we decide to change service providers or switch from prepaid subscription to postpaid subscription, at no cost. This is covered by the RA 11202 or the Mobile Number Portability Act.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) has been released but will officially take effect on July 2, 2019. By then, mobile subscribers may already apply for the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) to secure their mobile numbers.
How do you qualify for the MNP?
- The subscriber must not have an outstanding financial obligation with the donor provider.
- The mobile number used in a device is not locked to any mobile service provider.
- 60 calendar days must have elapsed from the date of activation of the ported number.
- No pending request for transfer or assignment of the mobile number.
- No order form a court of law stopping the mobile number porting.
- Not blacklisted by a service provider due to previous fraudulent activities.
How to apply for MNP?
- A subscriber who intends to avail of the MNP service shall first request from donor provider a 9-digit unique subscriber code (USC) which is valid for 15 days.
- The subscriber shall submit his or her porting application to the recipient provider. This can be done by the subscriber himself or through an authorized representative, or online. This can also be done through SMS using a 5-digit access code.
- The telco must transmit the clearance to the other company preferred by the subscriber within 24 hours upon receipt of the application.
- The porting process should be completed within 48 hours after a telco receives the application as long as the subscriber has no outstanding financial obligation or has not been rejected.
Postpaid and prepaid subscribers of the same mobile network may also use the MNP service and the same qualifiers shall apply. This, too, must be processed by the network within 24 hours.
The MNP service shall be implemented at no cost to mobile service subscribers.
References:
Click to access 20190208-RA-11202-RRD.pdf
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