How is Full Mobile Number Portability different from the previous mobile number portability solution?
The previous mobile number portability scheme is based on a call-forwarding solution. As such, subscribers will maintain two mobile numbers (the original mobile number and the new mobile number issued by the new service provider). A call made to the original number at the previous service provider will be forwarded to the new number under the call-forwarding approach. When a subscriber under the call-forwarding solution makes a call or sends an SMS, the new number will be reflected on the recipient’s phone. Furthermore, the subscriber will not be able to receive MMS on his original number with the call-forwarding solution. The call-forwarding solution also only applies to post-paid mobile subscribers. Full Mobile Number Portability will eliminate these limitations, and also extend mobile number portability to prepaid mobile subscribers.
