FAQs

Very often, when a customer of telecommunications services wishes to subscribe to the services of an operator other than his current Network Operator, the inconvenience of having to give up the existing phone number for a new number becomes an inhibitor. This is particularly true for fixed-line numbers that customers have often retained for numerous years. GNP allows customers to retain their existing numbers even when changing the Network Operator, therefore stimulating competition in the telecommunications market.

You should check the website of your new network or network operator, or call their customer service centre to get information on how to port your number(s). The website addresses and customer service centre numbers are listed at the end of this document.

The process to follow to keep your number(s) when moving to a new network operator is generally the same for the different networks. However, there might be some small differences which could include the cost of porting your number or where you should go to port your number.

This will depend on your new network operator, but you can start by calling your new network operator’s customer service centre or visiting their website to get more information. The customer service centres’ numbers and website addresses are listed below. You can also visit the retail outlets of the network operators.

All port requests should be lodged with your new network operator who will request the port from your current operator on your behalf. There will be two major processes depending whether you want to port a block of contiguous numbers or only a single number:

Managed Process

This process will be followed when porting Number Blocks or where groups of associated Individual Numbers are of sufficient complexity to require management of the porting process. In the case of Individual Numbers this process would normally apply to number blocks of 10 contiguous numbers or more.

The managed process will be followed wherever a PABX system is involved because this constitutes a cutover and will be complex by nature.

A Project Team appointed by the two Network Operators will be established to negotiate and implement a customised porting process that suits each particular case.

Individual Process

This process is used when Individual Numbers are ported. Requests for individual ports will be implemented at midnight on the working day of porting which will be no later than XX working days from the date of your request.

You will be informed of the charges applicable for porting your number by your new network operator.

Yes you can, but your contract with your current network operator is not automatically cancelled. You will have to honour your contract, because your current network operator is still entitled to any money owed on the contract. You will have to continue to pay your monthly subscription until the end of the contract or you can pay a cancellation fee to end the contract before the time. The amounts and conditions will be different, depending on your contract with your existing network operator. You will have to check the detail with your network operator before you decide to port.

You cannot port your number(s) if:

• you have ported the same number(s) within the last two months;
• you have been "suspended" by your current network operator from making or receiving calls, because you have not paid your bill, as per the standard policy of your current Network Operator;
• your number is one of those which are not allowed to port, for example it might be a Toll-free number or another number that is not a geographic number;
• you have provided your new network operator with an incorrect account number for your existing account at the time of making your port request;
• you are not the legitimate owner of the telephone number(s);
• you requested porting of a block of numbers, but there are numbers in that block allocated to other subscribers;
• you have already asked to port your number(s) but the port has not yet taken place;
• or you are relocating beyond your original service provider's exchange boundaries.

After a successful number porting, you will be able to get only those products and services that your new network operator offers and you have applied for. You may wish to get a list of the services offered by your new network operator before you port your number.

No, credits on your account and unused usage allowances are not portable to your new network operator.

Yes, you can port these numbers, but you will need to specify to your new network operator to port these numbers as well.

The way to port is different between number blocks and single numbers. Number Blocks of 1000 and 10,000 contiguous numbers

• You have decided you want to change to a new network operator.
• You will have to phone the customer service centre number of the new network operator and ask them where you have to go to port your number block.
• When you ask them to port your number block, the person you speak to will check that your number block is valid.
• They will then ask your current network operator whether you can port your number block.
• Your current network operator must say yes or no within three working days from receiving the request from you r new network operator.
• If your current network operator says no, it can only be for one of the reasons listed in 8 above.
• If your current network operator says yes, your number block will be ported to your new network operator between twelve o'clock at night and five o'clock in the morning on the working day when you want it to be ported as agreed by the network operators' joined project team.
• The maximum porting activation timeline for number blocks is 20 working days.

Single numbers or blocks less than 1,000 numbers

• You have decided you want to change to a new network operator.
• You will have to phone the customer service centre number of the new network operator and ask them where you have to go to port your number.
• When you ask them to port your number, the person you speak to will check that your number is valid.
• They will then ask your current network operator whether you can port your number.
• Your current network operator must say yes or no before the end of the next working day from receiving the request from your new network operator.
• If your current network operator says no, it can only be for one of the reasons listed in 8 above.
• If your current network operator says yes, your number will be ported to your new network operator between twelve o'clock at night and five o'clock in the morning on the working day when you want it to be ported.
• The maximum porting activation timeline for single numbers is 10 working days.

There is a list of numbers and websites for each network operator where you can ask for help or more information.

Geographic Operator	Customer Service Centre Number	Website Address
Telkom	10210 -  Residential 10217 - Business	http://www.telkom.co.za
Neotel	0800 000 636	http://www.neotel.co.za