Filipinos can keep their numbers when switching networks starting September 30 - Android

The Republic Act 11202, or the Mobile Portability Act, was signed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte way back in 2019. This means that subscribers from telcos like Globe and Smart can keep their mobile numbers when they switch networks.

In an announcement made last Wednesday, January 27, NTC said that the Mobile Number Portability would have its commercial rollout on September 30, 2021.

Under this new law, mobile phone users who want to switch networks need to submit a porting application to keep their current number.

In a Senate hearing, NTC Deputy Commissioner Ed Cabarios said that the commercial roll-out should’ve happened in the first quarter of 2021 but was delayed due to the health crisis.

Instead, it was moved to September, with the interoperability testing to be conducted in June.

In 2020, Smart, Globe, and DITO Telecommunity had already signed a deal supporting the MNP act.

Besides the MNP, one senate member also wants to push the SIM card registration bill to curb related cybersecurity-related criminal activities and fraud.

At the same hearing, Senator Grace Poe revealed that they would form a technical working group to examine the Prepaid Load Forever Act.

Telcos then said that there’s a cost generated from keeping a database of mobile numbers with prepaid load — numbers that may already be inactive.

This article, Filipinos can keep their numbers when switching networks starting September 30, was originally published at NoypiGeeks | Philippines Technology News, Reviews and How to's.