ANACOM launches information campaign on Portability - ''My number always follows me''

The Autoridade National de Comunicações (ANACOM) has launched an information campaign on the telephone number portability. This is a functionality of the fixed and mobile telecommunications networks, which allows keeping the same telephone number in case of operator change.

"My number always follows me. Keep your telephone number" is the motto to more than 5 million pamphlets which, in the following weeks, will be distributed by the Press, placed in the mail boxes all over the Country and offered at "lojas do cidadão".

With this campaign, ANACOM intends to increase the level of information of the consumers relatively to a functionality that is seen as a magnifier factor of the users option and, therefore, of incentive for the market competition.

"May I change operator without loosing my telephone number?" is the first question answered in the pamphlet, that uses the image of Rui Costa and the number at all times present on his jerseys, the "10", as an aid to the  message comprehension .

Simultaneously, from today on, 30 June, the three mobile operators will include in the beginning of each call for a ported mobile number a message identifying the new network to which the dialed number belongs to.

The message will have one of the two following versions, in Portuguese: "the number you have dialed belongs to (operator network x)"; or "(company y) informs that the number you have dialed belongs to (operator network z)".

Its existence is justified by the fact of, with the portability, all the number being transferred, which in the specific case of the mobiles, it means also that prefixes 91, 93 and 96, normally associable to an operator, will be able to be connected to other operators. The user will have, in this way, access to the necessary information.

The message is free and can be inhibited by caller request. The connections to non-ported numbers will be established as usually, that is, without listening of any message.

Until the end of March of this year, about 84 thousand numbers of fixed network and more than 9 thousand numbers of mobile network have been ported.

As usual, ANACOM will be available to clarify the consumers doubts, through the free line  800 206 665, in ANACOM websitehttp://www.anacom.pt/index.jsp?categoryId=2958 or its public enquiry services in Lisbon, Porto, Azores, Madeira and Barcarena. The users will be able still to send its doubts to an electronic mail address created on purpose for the effect: info.portabilidade@anacom.ptmailto:info.portabilidade@anacom.pt.

Consult press release:

Mobile portability - information on calls to ported numbers http://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=91457

Related information on ANACOM's website:

Portability http://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=318855