PRESS RELEASE
26 July 2025

PCC, TCI hold dialogue on Mobile Number Portability Act implementation

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) convened a strategic policy dialogue (SPD) with Telecommunications Connectivity Incorporated (TCI) on July 9 to discuss the findings of a competition impact assessment of Republic Act No. 11202 or the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Act.

TCI is the company which serves as the MNP “clearing house” that manages the technical systems and coordinates the porting process across networks, ensuring that subscribers can switch mobile service providers (MSPs) without changing their mobile numbers.

(L-R) Israel D. Bañez, Jacob A. Flores, and Jestoni A. Olivo present the findings of PCC’s competition impact assessment on the Mobile Number Portability Act.

PCC’s assessment found that the number of subscribers that availed of the free mobile number porting services has been below expectations. Since the MSPs began porting services on September 30, 2021, less than 100,000 or around 0.10 percent of total subscribers have switched telcos while keeping their original mobile numbers by the end of 2024. This is significantly lower than those reported in most jurisdictions with MNP. The low uptake may be attributed to limited public awareness of the MNP Act with only five percent of surveyed respondents indicating familiarity with the law.

Despite this, the study affirmed that the MNP Act expands consumer choice and encourages competitive behavior among MSPs. It also noted the need to revisit the current agreement between TCI and the technology partner managing the systems behind number porting to address the high cost of maintaining unused capacity of the facility.

Strategic policy dialogue between the PCC and TCI, held on July 9, 2025 in Quezon City.

TCI officials acknowledged the lack of public awareness and shared its ongoing efforts to improve the same. They also expressed openness to relaunching the service to the public to refresh TCI’s marketing and promotional efforts. Discussions to renegotiate the contract with the current technology partner are also underway to offer better value and integration flexibility, as well as reduce costs and improve service delivery.

For its part, the PCC reaffirmed its commitment to supporting competition in the telecommunications sector through continued policy advocacy and research.

PCC Executive Director Kenneth V. Tanate (6th from right), Economics Office Acting Directors Carlos L. Vega (3rd from right) and Kirsten J. Dela Cruz (3rd from left), and other PCC staff with Atty. Ariel Tubayan (8th from left) heading the TCI delegation during the strategic policy dialogue between the PCC and TCI, held on July 9, 2025 in Quezon City.

The PCC’s competition impact assessment is a policy review tool designed to examine the pro- and anti-competitive effects of regulations in various industries. The Commission continues to initiate SPDs to address key competition policy issues across various sectors, in line with the objectives of the National Competition Policy.

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REFERENCE:  
publicaffairs@phcc.gov.ph  
Public Affairs and Research Division
Communications and Knowledge Management Office
Philippine Competition Commission