15.02.2018

892,695 telephone numbers have been ported during 2017, of which 94% (839,679) are mobile and 53,016 are fixed telephony numbers. ”The number of users enjoying the benefits of number portability has increased significantly in recent years, with more than 4.5 million numbers ported so far. Since number portability is now a common choice among the users instead of just a sporadic phenomenon, we have reconsidered the conditions in which telephone numbers are transferred between networks. Thus, we proposed significant reductions of the tariffs a provider has to pay in the porting process - from EUR 7.8 to maximum EUR 4.4 for a fixed telephony number, and from EUR 5.6 to maximum EUR 1.9 for a mobile telephony one.”, declared ANCOM President Sorin Grindeanu.

Summing up, from the launch of number portability to the end of 2017, almost 4.5 million numbers were transferred between networks, 3.7 million of which are mobile telephony numbers and approximately 700 thousand - fixed telephony numbers. 

The monthly average of porting processes witnessed a slight decrease in 2017 compared to the previous year - from 78,305 to 74,391 - with peak levels in January, December and March, when 92,471, 84,805, and, respectively, 84,324 numbers were ported.

Out of the total amount of numbers ported in 2017, 81% belonged to residential and 19% to business users. 31 providers were involved in the porting processes carried out in 2017.

Mobile telephony

Mobile telephony providers attracted 839,679 users through number portability, in 2017. Among those who switched providers in 2017, most users opted for the RCS & RDS network - 384,759, while Orange received 191,767 users, Vodafone - 155,905, Telekom Romania Mobile Communications - 68,227, and Telekom Romania Communications – 39,002.

49% of the 839,679 mobile telephony numbers ported in 2017 were prepaid card numbers.

Fixed telephony

In 2017, fewer fixed telephony numbers were ported, compared to 2016. Most of the 53,016 fixed telephony numbers ported in 2017 went to the following providers: RCS & RDS – 23,060, Vodafone – 14,453, Orange – 6,725, UPC Romania – 5,613 and Telekom Romania Communications – 1,456.

In 2017, 4,960 location-independent numbers (code 037) and 67 freephone numbers (0800) were ported.

About number portability

Number portability ensures the users’ freedom of choice, enabling them to keep their telephone number, while switching providers.

For information purposes, ANCOM makes available to the users the website www.portabilitate.ro, where they can find the network of any ported telephone number used in Romania, may it be ported or not. The website offers details on the steps to be taken in order to port a telephone number, answers to frequently asked questions in case of porting a number, as well as advice for preventing possible problems in the porting process. Such advice is based on actual situations the users have reported to the Authority.

Further information is available on the ANCOM website or on www.portabilitate.ro. For making the best informed choice when switching service providers, users can access www.veritel.ro, the offer comparison tool managed by the Regulatory Authority, which enables the users to compare all the telephony and internet operators’ offers available on the market.