TCI: Around 5K subscribers availed of number porting services

Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI) said Thursday that around 5,000 mobile subscribers have availed of number porting services, which allows them to transfer networks or subscription plans while keeping their phone numbers.

TCI is the joint venture firm formed by three of the country’s major mobile network service providers - Globe, Smart, and DITO Telecommunity - to implement the mobile number portability (MNP) service, which was officially launched on September 30, 2021.

Under the MNP, subscribers can keep their mobile numbers even when they transfer to another service provider, or when they switch their subscription from postpaid to prepaid or vice versa.

The law mandates all public telecommunications entities to provide prepaid and postpaid subscribers the option to keep their mobile phone numbers free of charge, as long as the subscriber has no outstanding financial obligation.

“MNP is here for customers who want to experience better services while keeping their numbers. It is TCI’s mandate to make the porting process safe, secure, and convenient for those who need this service,” TCI general manager Melanie Manuel said in a statement.

Manuel said that “around 5,000 customers have successfully availed of the MNP service nationwide in the first three months.”

“Being able to implement the interoperability of all mobile players in the Philippines is a feat in itself. What's important is that customers now have the choice which network they want to be in without changing their number. MNP gives them the power to choose the network that suits their needs,” she said.

The TCI chief also assured that systems are in place in case TCI gets a huge number of porting requests in the future.

Likewise, TCI supports the measure mandating the registration of SIM cards as it will further strengthen the joint venture’s resolve to ensure a safe, secure, and more convenient MNP experience for Filipinos.

“It will complement the objective of TCI. Subscribers will also now have a more compelling reason to keep their numbers, which would be registered under their name,” Manuel said.

For now, Manuel said that their goal is to educate the public about MNP.

TCI currently has an active Facebook page  where it regularly posts how-to campaigns to guide mobile customers in their porting journey, if they wish to do so. This is also a channel where customers can directly air to TCI their porting questions or concerns.

Customers can also visit TCI’s website to find out more about the joint venture and other frequently asked questions.

“Right now, we’re conducting customer surveys, asking for the feedback of the first adopters of MNP so that we can use this information to improve our processes and services," Manuel said.

"We recognize that in the first couple of weeks, there were bottlenecks, but we have addressed those issues already. There were also concerns about going to the physical stores because of the pandemic, so together with the operators, we have opened virtual stores to help facilitate MNP."

These virtual stores allow customers to request for the Unique Subscriber Code (USC) from their providers online.

Companies that violate the provisions of Republic Act 11202 may face fines ranging from P10,000 up to P1 million as well as cancellation of the operating franchise. Damages of up to P40,000 can also be awarded to a subscriber. — VBL, GMA News