Philippine mobile number portability lets an eligible subscriber keep the same number when changing networks or moving between prepaid and postpaid service. Keeping the digits reduces account changes, but the port can still involve a new SIM, an activation window and a period when SMS codes are unavailable. Prepare every game and platform login before starting.
Know what MNP preserves and what it does not
The NTC rules implement Republic Act 11202. Globe’s current FAQ says porting is free and another port request requires a 60-day interval. Its instructions also say a nine-digit Unique Subscriber Code is valid for 15 days and that existing load, data and add-ons expire when an approved port activates.
The mobile number is retained; a carrier balance, promo, voicemail setting or app session is not necessarily transferred. Read the current instructions from the donor and receiving networks for the exact prepaid or postpaid product. Do not assume a social-media post describes today’s requirements.
Map the login chain before requesting a USC
List every game that signs in directly by SMS and every Google, Apple, Facebook, email or publisher account that uses the number for recovery. Record the non-secret player ID, server and region. A game may depend on the number indirectly through its email account.
Check whether each service has a second trusted method. Google recommends keeping a recovery phone or email current, while Apple allows additional trusted phone numbers for two-factor authentication. Add and verify an allowed backup before the port, not during an outage.
Prepare for a temporary SMS gap
Finish important sign-ins and payments before the transfer window. Generate supported backup codes, keep them offline and do not log out of every trusted device at once. Some services apply a security delay after recovery information changes, so make changes early enough to confirm they work.
Inside each game, verify account binding and avoid clearing data, reinstalling or changing phones during the port. Keep the old SIM and new porting SIM secure until the receiving network confirms activation. Do not discard either in a public bin.
Protect the USC, porting code and one-time codes
Treat the USC, carrier porting code and every SMS verification code as private. A genuine carrier form may require them inside an official process; a stranger in chat, a game-item seller or an unsolicited caller does not need them. Type the carrier address yourself or use its official app.
Ignore messages demanding payment to prevent immediate cancellation. Official MNP is free under the Philippine rules. If a request appears that you did not start, contact the current carrier through its official hotline, app or store and secure the email and game accounts linked to the number.
Verify accounts after the new SIM activates
- Restart the phone and confirm calls, texts and mobile data.
- Receive a test SMS from a trusted contact before requesting login codes.
- Check Google, Apple, email and publisher recovery settings.
- Open each important game and confirm the correct account and server.
- Update carrier billing only through the platform’s official settings.
- Store the MNP confirmation and official receipts without exposing codes.
If the old prepaid number may expire before a port is completed, review the prepaid SIM expiry checklist. Mobile number portability preserves an active eligible number; it is not a way to recover an already disconnected number.
Editorial review: 18 August 2026. Recheck the NTC and both carriers’ live eligibility and activation instructions before applying.