Number portability experience report: the process and risks are all revealed

This article has time and regional limitations. The article was written in December 2021. Due to time or regional reasons, if there are any changes in the procedures, formalities, and processes related to number portability, we will not notify you. Please understand.

Background (why switch network):

1. Some numbers cannot be used to answer calls (no sound from both sides)
2. The problem can be reproduced by changing the mobile phone (excluding the mobile phone as the cause)
3. Changing the address can reproduce (excluding base station reasons)
4. The problem can be reproduced by changing the SIM card (cost 5 yuan, excluding the SIM card problem)
5. China Unicom online and offline customer service has no solution
6. China Unicom backend said my call status is normal

When I discovered the problem 3 days ago, I asked China Unicom to port my number to another network. The online customer service of China Unicom actually said that "it hasn't been there for long". Their attempts to retain me included "I'll give you 100+ yuan in phone bills" and "discount on monthly fees", but these were insincere and itchy. What I want is to solve the problem, and if you can't solve it, I will switch networks. You'd better save yourself the trouble of using these tactics.

Here we need to thank the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for allowing ordinary users the right to port their numbers to other networks. In the past, in order to keep their numbers, they could only silently endure the disgusting services of some operators. Although there are still not many choices now, at least they have a certain degree of choice.

Note:

1. Liquidated damages

The three major operators occasionally offer some activities such as "recharge XX yuan and get YY yuan" and "XX discount on phone bills", where YY yuan is usually given away over several months or even several months. This benefit is actually in exchange for your online time to prevent user churn - if users churn, they will need to pay the penalty.

My personal penalty is more than 230 yuan, because I run a shop and keep cats and need to remotely monitor the cats and manage some automatic feeders. I use China Unicom's 129 yuan package to use their 500-megabit network for free. After consulting the staff, I learned that there is a "30% discount, only 90 yuan monthly rent" - all discounts will be cancelled after number portability, which means that I have used this package for 6 months and need to repay the difference of 6 x (129 - 90) = 234 yuan.

Personally, I think the compensation is reasonable, but not sensible. I breached the contract not because of personal reasons, but because you, China Unicom, were unable to solve the service problem. However, given the service attitude of some online customer service staff before, I don't want to argue with them.

2. Time online

The length of time spent online will be recalculated after number portability. For example, my China Unicom number has been online for more than five years since 2016. After number portability, the length of time spent online starts directly from 0.

What is the significance of online time? It is actually related to personal credit, especially when handling bank-related business, it will be used as a credit certificate. For example, if you have not used your number online for more than 2 years, you may not be able to apply for savings or credit cards from some banks. If you apply for a corporate account, the review will be more stringent.

Similar to the length of time you have been online, all your points with the old operator will be invalid, so remember to redeem them all before switching networks.

3. When to switch networks

It is recommended to apply for network transfer after the 20th of each month, because in the month when the network transfer is successful, the old operator will still deduct the monthly rent in full - that is to say, if you apply for cancellation on the 1st of the month, you will not be able to use this SIM card at all from the 2nd onwards, and your monthly fee will still be deducted in full.

Network transfer process:

0. Qualification query

Send it to the original operator (10010 or 10086 or 10000) CXXZ#Name#ID card number, and they will give you feedback whether there are any services that hinder your number portability. If so, reject them. Some services may incur the penalty mentioned above.

1. Apply for a phone number portability

There is no need to call the online customer service, because you will eventually need to go to the offline business hall anyway. Go to the business hall to get a number and queue up to directly tell the salesperson that you want to transfer your number to another network. Under pressure, the salesperson will have a retention speech, and you can choose to ignore it, but don't embarrass the salesperson.

I went to the business hall twice because I wanted to solve the problem at the beginning. The lady in the business hall had remembered my number and expressed regret for losing the number. I was also helpless. Who would be willing to spend so much effort to switch networks if the problem could be solved?

2. Apply on the APP of the carrier you are transferring to.

There is no need to go offline, you can directly apply for number portability through the APP. People who transfer numbers will be very welcoming and a specialist will contact you by phone.

3. Wait for the door

I transferred to China Mobile. After the application was completed, 10085 called me to confirm the procedures and made an appointment for home delivery. I thought I needed to go to the business hall, but they directly sent the card to my door through JD.com (JD.com cooperates with China Mobile and China Telecom, and there are specialists in charge) without any charge.

4. Activation

The JD courier will carry the verification ID and activation device with him. You can send SQXZ#name#ID number to the original operator (10010 or 10086 or 10000) on the same day to obtain the [Authorization Code]. The courier needs to verify this before he can activate the new card.

But there was no signal when I inserted the card that night. I had to wait until 8:54 the next morning to start receiving a signal, and at the same time the old SIM card became invalid.

5. Refund

If you have a lot of phone bills in your old operator's account, you need to go to the offline business hall to apply for a refund. You can apply for a refund after the next month's billing date (usually after the 5th). However, China Unicom's billing rules are quite overbearing. Even if you use its services for less than a month, you will still be charged for a month. I will try to complain to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to see if they can charge you proportionally.

time consuming:

It took me 4 days from December 10th when I went to the business hall to receive the signal on the morning of December 14th. In fact, if it is more efficient, it can be completed in 2 days.

Cost summary:

Personal Information:

1. Liquidated damages (a personal penalty of RMB 234);
2. Try to change the SIM card in China Unicom (incur a 5 yuan card replacement fee);
3. After using China Unicom service for 13 days, I had to pay a full month's rent of 129 yuan.

If you play it right, then theoretically it's all free.

other:

None of the three major operators has an absolute advantage or disadvantage. The services provided vary greatly depending on the region and time. As of now, the three major operators in Shenzhen are basically all good. However, this time China Unicom was unable to solve the problem of me answering the phone, which made me feel helpless and I could only struggle.

Finally, I would like to thank the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology again for giving me the right to switch networks without canceling my card number.

The author declares that this article has no vested interests. Welcome friends to communicate rationally and discuss harmoniously~