Only 5% of postpaid subscribers can switch networks and keep their numbers from November 16.

At the press conference on the plan to provide the number portability service held on November 13, a representative of the Telecommunications Department said that from November 16, major network operators including Viettel, MobiFone, and VinaPhone will implement this service for postpaid subscribers. From January 1, 2019, in addition to these three network operators, Vietnamobile will simultaneously provide this service to prepaid and postpaid subscribers.

The Telecommunications Department said that network operators will test the service with only 5% of postpaid subscribers (equivalent to 6 million SIMs) to assess the service's impact on the market and take measures to eliminate negative impacts (if any) before deploying it widely.

"Mobile businesses are providing services to over 120 million subscribers, so they must take certain steps to avoid negative impacts on the operation of the entire telecommunications network," said a representative of the Department of Telecommunications.

When switching, subscribers will have to pay a fee. Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Hong Hai said that through many meetings, the orientation fee for businesses will not exceed 60,000 VND per switch. However, according to Mr. Hai, businesses will issue their own rates and instructions on the process.

At the meeting, representatives of network operators said that the one-time network switching fee that users must pay is equivalent to the monthly postpaid subscription fee, expected to not exceed 60,000 VND.

A representative of the Telecommunications Department said that the number retention transfer transaction is carried out within 2 days for individual subscribers and 3 days for organizations, from the time the subscriber arrives at the transaction point of the network operator to complete the procedure. The maximum service interruption during the transfer process is one hour. However, the Department's leader also emphasized that in reality, the interruption only lasts for a few seconds.

Once a subscriber switches to a new carrier, they can only switch to another carrier after 90 days.

Issues regarding procedures and regulations, according to the leader of the Telecommunications Department, will be applied according to Circular 35/2017 issued by the Ministry of Information and Communications. This document stipulates that businesses have the right to refuse to transfer networks with subscribers whose service registration information is incorrect, who have complaints or disputes regarding service use, or who violate contracts with the transferring business...

Mobile number portability is a service that allows mobile subscribers to change networks while retaining their phone number (including network code and subscriber number). The service was first launched in 1997 in Singapore and is now available in more than 110 countries worldwide and has become a popular trend in the developing mobile telecommunications market. In Southeast Asia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia have implemented the service and Vietnam is the 4th country to implement the service.

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, the implementation of mobile number portability will bring many benefits to the telecommunications market, telecommunications businesses, mobile subscribers and meet the management goals of state management agencies.