Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI) yesterday said it has seen a double-digit increase in porting activity since the subscriber identity module (SIM) registration process began last December.
According to TCI data, 28 percent more mobile users availed of the mobile number portability (MNP) in January compared to the same period last year. That is also 26 percent more porting activity observed in December 2022.
“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. This is how the convenience of MNP and the protection provided by SIM registration, complement and reinforce each other,” said Melanie Arsua-Manuel, TCI general manager.
Republic Act 11934, or the SIM Registration Act, regulates the use of SIM cards by mandating all end-users to register their SIMs under their name, with the ultimate goal of curbing the proliferation of text scams and other mobile phone-aided criminal activities.
As of February 12, a total of 32.1 million mobile subscribers have registered their SIMs which is 18.97 percent of the 169 million subscribers nationwide, according to Department of Information and Communications Technology data.
TCI was formed as a joint venture among DITO Telecommunity Corp., Globe Telecom Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. in 2021 to facilitate MNP.
MNP provides Filipinos the option to keep their mobile numbers permanently, even when they change network providers or switch subscriptions from prepaid to postpaid or vice versa. – Myla Iglesias
