Today, the power of three telcos in the Philippines, become as one for the Filipinos as Telecommunications Connectivity, Inc. (TCI), formed alliance to a joint venture company by Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and DITO Telecommunity.
Today’s discussion was centered into the Mobile Number Portability Law wherein any person can choose the move from one telco to another maintaining the same mobile number all throughout. TCI is the implementing arm for all the activites between the three mobile service providers.
The joint venture between the three telcos is essential as the need to facilitate decision making and approvals in different contracts needed in the course of the implementation of the Mobile Number Portability. It will be too unwieldy to secure approvals from the 3 operators of any decision or contract that will have to be entered into with third parties.
The Mobile Number Portability has been enacted into law sponsored by Senator Win Gatchalian as Republic Act No. 11202, also known as the Mobile Number Portability Act, ensures that mobile phone users can keep their numbers even when they transfer to another service provider, or when they switch their subscription from postpaid to prepaid, or vice-versa.
MNP helps promote consumer welfare by fostering the freedom to choose and to respond to quality, price and other relevant considerations without consumers having to change their mobile numbers whenever they change mobile service providers or subscription plans. Porting is FREE.
Here are the requirements on how to port from one network to another :
1 SIM must be active and requestor is the assignee of the mobile number to be ported
2 no outstanding or remaining balance from previous bill (for postpaid)
3 No existing court prehibition/s
4 No pending transfer of ownership
Porting service of telcos will be available starting September 30, 2021.
Here are the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. roster of officers
President – Mario Tamayo (PLDT and Smart Communications SVP and Head of Technology
Chairman – Atty. Froilan Castelo (Globe Telecom group of companies General Counsel)
Treasurer – Atty. Adel Tamayo (DITO Telecommunity Chief Administrative Officer)
General Manager – Melanie A. Manuel, TCI Intern General Manager
Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. interim general manager Melanie Manuel is and Industrial Engineer whose experience in Telco includes Domestic Carrier Relations, International and Domestic Settlements, Settlement Systems, IS Business Analysis, and Human Resource Management.
The three telcos put up P120M capitalization to form the Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. to help and serve their customers. Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. will remain operational as long as it is required by Law. The company will have mimimal manpower and have a skeletal workforce to support the MNP program.
As each of the telco faced different challenges during the testing phase, the coalition of the three telcos will ensure that the Mobile Number Portability Law will be implemented and will be FREE.
In line with this, a mobile number portability service provider, SYNIVERSE was appointed. SYNIVERSE will bring in the technical infrastructure to fulfill its primary function as clearing house for the three telcos and ensuring smooth implementation of number porting services.
“The entire telco industry and the Philippine government are pushing forward with the same goal of providing Filipinos with better telco services. Aside from encouraging healthier competition amongst the players, MNP also grants Filipinos the freedom to switch to their preferred mobile service provider seamlessly and conveniently.. Na walang alinlangan,” Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. Treasurer and DITO Telecommunity Chief Administrative Officer Atty. Adel Tamano said.
“Mobile Number Portability is a complex process not only do we need to adopt it into our system but we need to integrate it with the networks of our competitors. MNP involves close coordination with the other telcos to build the system and how the system will react to provide that good customer service. It took us 22 months to build MNP, upgrade the system, integrate with the MNP service provider, and do testing with the other telcos. We also studied how other countries implemented mobile number portability, and how we can adopt that in the Philippines. We also need to consider the pandemic situation and how we will adapt under such circumstances. We have involved the best people in our organizations in this project. A lot of brainstorming happened, testing and developing all possible scenarios that can happen in MNP and finally after 22 months we can say we are now ready to provide Mobile Number Portability in the Philippines.” Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. Chairman Atty. Froilan Castelo (also Globe Telecom group of companies General Counsel).
“We want to make sure that we can give the best solutions and services to the Filipino people. Gusto natin pagaanin ang buhay at pasimplehan ang proseso para sa bawat telco subscriber by giving them the power of choice. Through mobile number portability, we are empowering our customers to pursue their passions and purpose. Ang DITO, Globe at Smart ay katuwang ng ating gobyerno upang palakasin ang telco industry sa Pilipinas.” Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. President, and PLDT Smart Communications SVP Technology Head Mario Tamayo.
