Abstract:  The Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Act enables subscribers to retain their mobile numbers when switching to other networks. This empowers subscribers to exercise perpetual ownership of their mobile numbers and increases the incentives for network operators to attract and retain them. This paper aims to explore the implementation of MNP in the Philippines by reviewing the adoption of number portability and analyzing the switching dynamics among subscribers using data from September 2021 to December 2024. Results indicate that only less than 0.05% of the total number of subscribers have adopted MNP since its implementation. This figure is substantially less than those recorded in other countries in the first three years of introducing MNP. The switching data also suggests that subscribers have a strong preference for the two more established network operators. International best practices culled from existing studies are discussed to reinforce implementation in the Philippines.

Speaker: Mr. Jestoni A. Olivo is a senior economist at the Economics Office of the Philippine Competition Commission. He heads the Policy and Markets Division responsible for producing research on policy assessments and market dynamics