Carrier-changing mobile users can retain number

MOBILE number portability that allows smartphone users to switch carriers without changing numbers, was made available nationwide yesterday.

The 326 Shanghai outlets of China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom offer number portability services, the Shanghai Communications Administration said.

The service has been tested at provincial level, with final nationwide tests wrapped up this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information

Technology said.

The ministry has asked related enterprises to rectify problems found during the trial with some carriers found to create obstacles for the service switch, said Lu Chuncong, an MIIT official, noting that the program will promote benign competition among enterprises.

But users can’t apply for the service under some conditions, including in the period of contracts or loyalty programs and with outstanding bills, officials said.

Users can check the availability of mobile number portability by sending a short message to the carriers’ hotline numbers 10086, 10000 and 10010 or call them. If users are qualified for the services, they can get authorization codes to switch carriers.

Carriers are not allowed to set up obstacles or add unnecessary conditions for consumers applying for the service, the ministry said.

As of Tuesday, about 3.16 million subscribers have completed number porting in five pilot provincial-level regions, MIIT data showed.

Previously, most people were not able to retain their mobile numbers if they wanted to change carriers.