How to Keep Your Mobile Number When Switching Networks in the Philippines

Yes, you can keep your Philippine mobile number when switching networks. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) lets an eligible subscriber move to another participating provider without changing the number. For a network switch, the order is: check eligibility → get a nine-digit Unique Subscriber Code (USC) from your current provider → apply with the new provider → activate its replacement SIM. The porting application itself is free.

This guide separates the steps you take with the current network from those you take with the receiving network. That distinction matters: the old provider issues the USC, while the new provider processes your move and gives you the SIM used after activation.

Before you request a USC: five checks

Keep the number active. The number must be active, and you need access to it for messages and verification during the application.
Clear obligations and restrictions. Settle unpaid postpaid charges and check any handset lock, bundled service, ownership-transfer request or account restriction.
Check the 60-day rule. TCI says you may apply again only after 60 days from the last successful porting activation; newly activated numbers may also face eligibility limits.
Prepare proof. TCI lists a government-issued ID, a USC and proof that you own the mobile number for external porting.
Use remaining value. TCI says current prepaid load, add-ons and other subscriptions expire once the port is approved and activated. Record your balance before you switch.

If the account is business-owned or the number is the principal contact for several lines, ask the current provider or account manager about its specific route before submitting an individual application.

How to switch networks and keep the number

Choose the receiving provider and plan. Check actual coverage, device compatibility and the offer’s current terms where you use your phone. A prefix such as 0917 or 0918 will stay with your number after porting, so it will no longer identify your active network.
Ask your current provider for a USC. This nine-digit code confirms clearance to start the move. TCI says it is valid for 15 days. Request a new one if it expires.
Apply with the receiving provider. Give it the USC and required ID and ownership proof. Follow that provider’s store or online process; do not submit the USC to an unofficial intermediary.
Receive and activate the new SIM. Follow the receiving provider’s activation message. Keep the old SIM until the provider tells you to switch, and watch for the successful-port notice.
Test the number. After activation, place a call, receive a text, use data, and check any essential services that send OTPs to your number. Contact the receiving provider if a service fails after the stated cutover window.

TCI says the overall process takes up to 48 hours after application approval, excluding SIM delivery time. It says the service interruption during cutover should be no more than four hours. Plan the switch for a period when a temporary loss of calls, SMS and data will not block an urgent task.

Where to start for each destination

Moving to	Receiving provider’s route	Official instructions
Globe Prepaid or TM	Get a USC from your current provider, then use Globe’s online application and MNP SIM instructions	Globe portability FAQ
Smart Prepaid or TNT	Get a USC, then apply through a Smart Store or the online MNP route; activate the issued Smart MNP SIM as instructed	Smart portability page
DITO	Get a USC, then apply through the DITO app or a DITO Experience Store	DITO portability page

For Globe/TM customers porting out, Globe’s current FAQ says to text USC to 5050 from the existing number and follow the reply. For Smart/TNT and DITO port-outs, use each provider’s current support channel or store instructions rather than an old web list of SMS codes. The receiving provider may offer different routes for prepaid, postpaid and business accounts.

Internal move or external switch?

External porting means changing to another network, such as Globe to Smart. Internal porting means keeping the number while changing subscription type or brand within the same provider. The receiving provider’s eligibility and application steps can differ. Globe says its internal porting can be requested in GlobeOne; TCI directs customers to their current provider for internal requirements.

What stays, what changes

Item	After a successful network switch
Mobile number	Stays the same, including its original prefix
Network and SIM	Changes to the receiving provider and its issued SIM
Old prepaid load and promos	Do not carry over; TCI says they expire after approval and activation
Call, SMS and data service	May pause during cutover, for up to four hours under TCI’s guidance

The number’s unchanged prefix can mislead people buying network-only promos or loading for you. Tell anyone who pays for your load which provider now serves the number. Our Philippine mobile-prefix guide explains why a prefix is a historical clue rather than a current-network check.

If your port is rejected or stalls

USC expired or does not match: ask the current provider for a fresh code and check every digit against the number on the application.
Unpaid bill, lock or bundle: resolve the exact restriction with the current provider and retain its clearance or case number.
Another port request is open: ask the relevant provider to close or resolve it before reapplying.
New SIM has no service: follow the receiving provider’s activation steps, restart the phone when instructed, and contact its support if the cutover window has passed.

DITO’s help center lists these common rejection reasons. If you need a formal escalation, keep your USC issuance date, application reference, carrier messages and the times service stopped and resumed.

Frequently asked questions

Is mobile number portability free?

Yes. TCI and the carriers say the porting application is free. A carrier may separately charge for optional SIM delivery or a chosen plan; check those terms before ordering.

Can I transfer my remaining load to the new network?

No. TCI says old prepaid load and subscriptions expire when the approved port is activated. Use or account for that value before the switch.

Will my 0917 or 0918 prefix change?

No. Keeping the mobile number also keeps its prefix. After a port, that prefix is not proof of the active carrier.

Is changing a damaged SIM the same as porting?

No. SIM replacement keeps you with the same provider, while external MNP changes your provider and retains the number. Ask for the correct service before requesting a USC.

Related Sulit guides

Sources and last checked

Checked 5 October 2026 against the official portability service and carrier help pages. Check the destination provider’s current instructions before applying; channel details and offer terms can change.