THE Philippines’ three major mobile network operators (MNOs), DITO, Globe, and Smart Communications, have joined forces with the government to implement the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Act.
On July 14, 2021, the three firms completed the initial testing of their technological skills and interoperability through their joint venture company, Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI).
Customers will soon be able to keep their mobile numbers indefinitely, even if they change network providers or subscriptions, thanks to the collaborative effort.
In light of the current pandemic, the MNOs stated that the results of these preliminary technical testing are “within expectations.”
Following the favorable results of the initial testing, the next stages will be to streamline the external porting process, introduce fraud and security protections, optimize systems and backend business operations, and prepare customers for a smoother and faster porting experience by September 30, 2021.
By successfully completing a real-world porting test, DITO, Globe, and Smart gained early insights and specifics on how to handle lingering issues and potential obstacles before making the service available to all users.
DITO, Globe, and Smart have worked hard to meet the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) July pledge to achieve initial technical readiness prior to the real interporting demonstration with the telco regulator, a major milestone in the MNP process.
“As the newest player in the industry, we truly are excited to provide this service to Filipinos wherever they may be. When we entered the industry, it really was to encourage competition and innovation. With the Mobile Number Portability Act, we have broken down barriers and have given the Filipinos the power of convenience to finally switch to their preferred service provider,” said DITO chief administrative officer lawyer Adel Tamano.
“The initial tests gave us a clearer view of the customer experience when they avail of the MNP, including the experience of customers as they interport to Globe numbers from other networks and vice versa. We learned a lot in the process and we will apply them to make the transition easy and seamless for our customers once the MNP becomes available to all,” said Issa Guevarra-Cabreira, Globe’s chief commercial officer.
“We are working doubly hard with our counterparts from Globe and DITO to comply with the requirements. This is aligned with our company’s direction: customer-centricity as our True North. We have always been at the forefront of using technology to create better experiences for everyone, and the successful initial tests will help us understand and recalibrate our systems and processes, so we can make the MNP experience simple and easy for our customers. After all, making things simple, using technology, is at the core of the Smart brand promise,” s said Jane Basas, Smart senior vice president and head of Consumer Wireless Business.
Republic Act 11202, popularly known as the Mobile Number Portability Act, assures that mobile phone users can keep their numbers even if they change service providers or switch from postpaid to prepaid or vice versa.