Consumer Guide To Full Mobile Number Portability
Frequently-Asked Questions
About Full Mobile Number Portability
Full Mobile Number Portability is an enhanced mobile number portability solution that will allow you to retain full use of your existing phone number, even when you switch mobile operators. As such, you will not have to go through the hassle of updating all your contacts on a new number from your new mobile operator.
Full Mobile Number Portability will be provided by all mobile operators from 13 June 2008.
Both pre-paid and post-paid mobile subscribers can make use of this solution to retain their original phone numbers.
You can approach your new mobile operator about your request to use the solution, and he will be able to advise you on the necessary steps. Your new mobile operator will also issue you a new SIM card and advise you on the date when you should replace your old SIM card with the new one. Pre-paid mobile subscribers will be required to produce their existing working pre-paid SIM cards that use the pre-paid mobile number that they want to port. They will also be told to register their IC/FIN details, as how they have done when they purchased their pre-paid SIM card.
The current mobile number portability scheme is based on a Call-Forwarding solution. Such subscribers will possess two mobile numbers (the original mobile number and the new mobile number issued by the new mobile operator which they switched to). A call made to the original number at the old mobile operator will then be call-forwarded to the new number. When a subscriber under the Call-Forwarding solution makes a call or sends an SMS/MMS, the new number will be reflected on the recipient's phone. Furthermore, the subscriber will not be able to receive MMSes on his original number with the call-forwarding solution.
Also, the Call-Forwarding solution only applies to post-paid mobile subscribers.
Full Mobile Number Portability will eliminate these limitations, and also extend mobile number portability to pre-paid mobile subscribers.
All mobile customers can make use of Full Mobile Number Portability.
However, if you have terminated your mobile service or if your mobile service has been suspended, you may not be able to use Full Mobile Number Portability to regain the number that had been given up during the service suspension/termination.
Typically, it will take one working day to activate the ported number. This means that you will be able to use your existing number on your new mobile operator's network by the next working day* from when your porting request was submitted. However, do understand that this timeframe will be subject to approval from the original mobile operators and volume of requests for the day.
*Non-working days are Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
There will be some service disruption when your number is being switched over from your old mobile operator's network to your new mobile operator's network. This process typically includes deactivation and activation of your number in the old and new mobile operators' networks. Depending on the volume of porting requests, the service disruption may take up to 3 hours. Mobile operators will endeavour to minimise service disruption when they switch your number to your new mobile operator's network, for example by carrying this out during the off-peak hours such as around midnight.
Your mobile operator will be able to advise you on the details and arrangements to minimise the service disruption.
Typically, since you have switched to a new mobile operator, any special promotions or packages that you enjoy with your old mobile operator will no longer be valid. You would also be expected to settle all outstanding bills with your old mobile operator before you terminate your contract with them. However, we encourage you to check with your mobile operator for details, as practices may differ depending on the business policies adopted by the respective operators.
It is possible for someone who picks up a lost pre-paid card to port the number on that card to another mobile operator. However, once the pre-paid number is ported to a new mobile operator, any remaining credit with the previous mobile operator will be lost.
We encourage you to keep your pre-paid card secure at all times. Should you lose it, you should report the loss of the card immediately, so that your mobile operator can suspend or terminate the pre-paid number to prevent unauthorised usage or porting.
Charges Under Full Mobile Number Portability
There will not be any charge from your original mobile operator for using Full Mobile Number Portability.
However, your new mobile operator may impose a one-time administrative fee for handling your porting request.
Value-added services (VAS) such as wallpapers, ring-tones, information services, and downloads that are provided by your old mobile operator will be terminated when you end your mobile contract with them.
For other types of VAS that you have subscribed from other service providers (e.g. third-party content providers, retail merchants such as banks, airlines or cinema operators), they will continue to be available if these service providers have put in place the necessary arrangements to route the VAS. You may wish We encourage you to check with your service providers to find out about these arrangements for their VAS.
For Consumers Who Are On The Current Mobile Number Portability Solution (i.e. Call-Forwarding Solution)
Your current mobile operator will contact you from 22 April onwards, to advise you of the steps you need to take to migrate from the Call-Forwarding solution to the Full Mobile Number Portability solution.
Mainly, you will need to decide by 14 May 2008 which number to keep - either your old number from the previous mobile operator (N1) or the new number issued by your current mobile operator (N2). Otherwise N2 will be assigned to you by default.
Once you have made the decision, you should promptly inform your contacts about your choice of number to remain reachable at that number.
You do not have to pay to choose which number you wish to retain. But you will have to make that decision by 14 May, otherwise you will be assigned your existing mobile number by default.
For those who choose to retain the original number from their previous mobile operator, they will experience some service disruption during the migration. This process typically includes deactivation and activation of your number in the old and new mobile operators' networks. Mobile operators will endeavour to minimise service disruption when they switch your number to your new operator's network, for example by carrying this out during the off-peak hours such as around midnight.
Contact for Enquiries
For general enquiries about Full Mobile Number Portability, you may contact your respective mobile operators.
You may also contact IDA on policies related to Full Mobile Number Portability.