SIM registration now drives Mobile Number Portability (MNP) as more subscribers move to the network they wish to register in, according to Telecommunications Connectivity, Inc. (TCI).
Since the SIM Registration process began on December 27, 2022, TCI started seeing a double-digit increase in porting activity.
According to TCI data, 28 percent more mobile users availed of MNP in January 2023, compared to the same period last year; additionally, that’s 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 in," says Melanie Arsua-Manuel, TCI General Manager.
"This is how the convenience of MNP and the protection provided by SIM registration, complement and reinforce each other,” she maintained.
Republic Act (RA) 11934, the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Registration Act, regulates the use of SIM cards by mandating all end-users to register their SIMs under their name to curb text scams and other mobile phone-aided criminal activities.
The Department of Information and Technology (DICT) reports that SIM Registration has been completed for 32,062,265 SIMs as of February 12, 2023, 11:59 PM.
Based on records provided by the public telecommunication entities (PTEs), the total number is 18.97 percent of the 168,977,773 million subscribers nationwide.
The DICT, along with the National Telecommunications Commission urged all subscribers to register their SIMs on or before April 26, 2023, or risk deactivation of their SIMs.
TCI was formed as a joint venture among DITO Telecommunity, Globe Telecom Inc. and Smart Communications in 2021 to facilitate MNP.
Porting 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.
“We believe that SIM registration will help ensure a more stable and secure ICT environment for Filipinos and provide on-line safety from scammers," Manuel pointed out.
"Now that your SIM card has become attached to your identity, you can also choose to have the subscription and network provider who will be best for your needs, through MNP,” she concluded.