The country's 3 major telcos have completed the initial testing of their technical capabilities and interoperability in preparation for the implementation of the Mobile Number Portability Act, Smart Communications said recently.
The Telecommunications Connectivity Inc, the joint venture of Globe Telecom, DITO Telecommunity and Smart Communications completed the tests on July 14, Smart said in a statement.
"We are working doubly hard with our counterparts from Globe and DITO to comply with the requirements," said Smart Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Wireless Business Jane J. Basas.
The operators have said the outcome of the tests was "within expectations."
The next step will streamline the external porting process, implement fraud and security safeguards, optimize systems and backend business operations "in time for a smoother and faster-porting experience for customers by Sept. 30, 2021."
With the tests, the telcos will be able to address remaining challenges before making the service available to the public, the statement said.
“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 Globe Chief Commercial Officer Issa Guevarra-Cabreira.
The telcos "worked diligently" to meet the July commitment with the National Telecommunications Commission to achieve the initial technical readiness before the actual interporting demo with the regulator, the statement said.
“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,” DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano said.
The Mobile Number Portability Act or R.A 11202 allows users to keep their mobile numbers even if they switch network providers or subscribers.
Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/07/16/21/smart-globe-dito-telco-mobile-number-portability-test
