Number porting in South Africa tested

MyBroadband tested number porting to and from Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, and Telkom, and the process was much easier than expected.

To port a mobile number, you need a new SIM card that is RICA'd to the same ID number as the one with the phone number you wish to port.

Porting to Vodacom, MTN, or Cell C can be done with a single SMS from the old SIM, containing the details of the new sim card.

After the old SIM becomes inactive, you can use the new SIM on the new network with your original number.

Porting to Telkom was more challenging as their SMS porting service had been suspended.

We had to visit a Telkom store with the RICA'd SIM to move our number to the mobile operator. We needed to show our ID and have an old active SIM to receive an OTP confirming the port.

Since Telkom SIM cards can be obtained and RICA'd at a Telkom store, you can immediately port to a new Telkom SIM if you buy it at a Telkom store.

While most network operators disabled SIMs after porting the number, the Telkom SIM cards remained active. A new number was allocated to the old Telkom SIM.

To port to a Cell C SIM, we had to activate the new card in a device before the port could go through.

This is in contrast to other providers, which specifically ask you not to insert the new SIM in a device before the old SIM becomes inactive.

The SMS protocol to port to a new SIM card is summarised below.

Telkom

  • Visit a Telkom store with ID and Proof of Address to RICA the new sim and port.
  • Wait for the old sim to become inactive before using the new sim.
  • Vodacom

  • Buy and RICA a new sim.
  • SMS "portme" and the sim number on the new starter pack to 082 767 8287.
  • Wait for the old sim to become inactive before using the new sim.
  • MTN

  • Buy and RICA a new sim.
  • SMS "PORTME#" and the sim number on the new starter pack to 083 767 8287.
  • Wait for the old sim to become inactive before using the new sim.
  • Cell C

  • Buy and RICA a new sim.
  • Activate a new sim by inserting it into a device.
  • SMS the new sim serial number to 084 767 8287.
  • Wait for the old sim to become inactive and start using the new sim.
  • With all our tests, the port happened overnight and was completed in under 24 hours.

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