Consumers in Qatar can now retain their existing mobile phone number when switching service providers, the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) announced yesterday.

The mobile number portability (MNP)  service came into effect on January 31.

Currently MNP is available at both Qtel and Vodafone retail outlets in the City Center and Landmark malls, although availability of retail locations able to handle MNP requests will soon be expanded.

“Full service in the entire retail networks will be available in the coming weeks,” a spokesperson for ictQATAR said.

Consumers wishing to change service providers and keep their existing mobile number should visit the retail outlets of the service provider they are planning to switch to. At the outlet, consumers will fill out a mobile number portability application. They will be asked to submit necessary documents, which may include the original and copy of Qatari ID.

The process of porting typically takes one working day once the application has been completed. The actual switching occurs  between 11am  and 12 noon.

Before switching, consumers must pay all outstanding bills for the number being switched. After switching, any final bill from the previous service provider must be paid within 30 days of issue to avoid barring their service on their current provider.

The new service provider will give the customer a new SIM card with the same number.

Currently, one can only switch mobile numbers. In future, consumers will be able to switch their landline numbers as well.

All unused credit and allowances will be lost once a customer switches to a new service provider. It is recommended that consumers use their remaining balance before switching.

Saved messages and those not yet retrieved will be deleted. Consumers should listen to all voicemail messages before switching their numbers.

After switching, consumers will not be able to use their mobile money or money transfer accounts that were offered by the previous service provider (Vodafone Money Transfer or Qtel Mobile Money).  Yet, consumers can withdraw their money from their previous provider.

For customers with a balance of Nojoom points, Qtel will reserve them for three months and then the balance will be lost.

Consumers can switch as many times as they wish as long as they do not owe any outstanding amounts to their service provider. Once a switching request has been received and validated, it cannot be cancelled.

If a consumer faces a problem with switching and the service provider he is  switching to is unable to resolve the issue after 30 days, he can contact ictQATAR’s Consumer Affairs Department by calling 103 (e-mail: [email protected]).

However, if the problem deals specifically with disconnected services and it remains unresolved for more than two days after one has contacted the new operator, the customer should contact ictQATAR right away without waiting for the standard 30 days.

“Mobile number portability is an important part of the ongoing liberalisation of Qatar’s telecommunications sector,” said Saleh al-Kuwari, deputy assistant secretary general, Regulatory Authority.

“It allows consumers to choose more freely the service provider that best meets their needs without having to sacrifice their existing number. The growing competition in our telecommunications market is leading to lower prices, innovative  services and enhanced customer care. MNP will further empower consumers and we are pleased that both service providers have worked with us to make this possible,” added al-Kuwari.

The National Numbering Committee, established by ictQATAR and with active participation from Qtel and Vodafone Qatar, has led the implementation.

“Both Qtel and Vodafone Qatar have committed to providing point-of-sale service to assist consumers with the process and to answer any questions they may have. We encourage all consumers considering switching their mobile service to another provider to carefully review all the applicable terms and conditions,” said Mohamed el-Bashir, ictQATAR technical affairs manager.

ictQATAR is the country’s independent and fair regulator of the telecommunications market.

To check whether a number is on Qtel or Vodafone network, send an SMS to 167. In the SMS write the mobile number, one wants to inquire about without the country code (for example: 12345678).  This service is offered for free and is only available for users with a Qatari mobile number sending the SMS from within Qatar.

To learn more about the cost of switching, please visit the service provider website you wish to switch to. Qtel : www.qtel.qa/mnp and Vodafone Qatar : www.vodafone.qa

Alternatively, consumers can dial 111, or call the following numbers: Vodafone: +974 7700 7111, Qtel:+ 974  4420 0700.