Mobile number portability

Telephone number portability was extended on 25 July 2003 so that it now also covers mobile numbers. A mobile number means hear a number which also includes the mobile area code.

Portable numbers

Portable mobile numbers are those with the mobile area code. For the time being, such numbers begin with 040, 041, 042, 043, 044, 045, 046 and 050. Numbers for regional mobile networks covered by area specific numbering of the fixed network are treated in portability as numbers of the fixed network.

If several numbers are connected to one mobile subscription, at least the voice service number must be portable. Numbers for other services, such as data and fax services which are supplementary services to the main subscription, are portable if they have an individual subscription agreement.

Numbers connected to a prepaid-service paid in advance are portable if there is a subscription agreement in writing.

How is a number ported?

A mobile number is usually ported so that the subscriber concludes an agreement with the new operator and informs that he or she wants to retain the old numer. The old services are, however, not portable; instead, the customer chooses the new services with the new mobile operator. The number of the answering service is determined by the new operator and the roaming features depend on the new operators’ roaming agreements. The customer gets a new SIM card but the old subscription must work until the new subscription is opened. The recipient operator informs the donor operator that the number is being ported. The donor operator checks that the number is portable and that the customer wishing to port the number has a valid subscription agreement or that the number has been reserved to this customer and the reservation time has not expired. After the new subscription has been opened, the customer inserts the SIM card and the subscription is ready for use.