TELECOMMUNICATIONS Connectivity, Inc. (TCI) said yesterday it has seen a spike in the transfers of mobile numbers from different service providers, or mobile number porting, following the government’s subscriber identity modules (SIM) registration drive.
TCI is the joint venture of DITO Telecommunity, Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc.’s Smart Communication, established to oversee the implementation of mobile number portability.
The Mobile Number Portability (MNP) law allows users to switch telco providers while keeping their mobile numbers.
In January, 28 percent more mobile users availed themselves of mobile porting compared to the same period last year, the TCI said in a statement. It is also 26 percent higher compared to the porting activities in December 2022, it added.
“We can only attribute this spike in MNP to the intention of mobile users to keep their number, even as they make the move to the subscription or network they wish to permanently register under their name under the SIM Registration Law,” TCI general manager Melanie Arsua-Manuel said.
“This is how the convenience of MNP and the protection provided by SIM registration complement and reinforce each other,” she added.
The SIM registration law mandates all mobile users to register their numbers. Actual registration began in December and will run until April 26, 2023. Failure to register during the time period will result in the deactivation of SIMs.
“Now that your SIM card has become attached to your identity, you can also choose to have the correct subscription and network provider that will be best for you and your needs, through MNP. It is free, fast, and easy to avail of MNP,” Manuel said.
As of Feb. 12, there were over 32 million SIMs registered, the Department of Information and Technology (DICT) said. (ABS-CBN News)
