You can always keep your telephone number, even if you switch telecom operators. Despite this number portability, you will have to pay the fees of your old fixed-term contract until the end of the contract period.
In particular, if you have a fixed-term subscription contract, before porting your number it is worthwhile checking when the fixed term will end and what kinds of payments this will involve, and only after that deciding when to switch operators.
- If you port your number in the middle of your fixed-term contract period, you will have to pay the monthly fees of your old subscription until the end of the contract period.
- If you have a fixed-term tie-in contract, you will have to pay the fees related to your phone and monthly subscription fees to the old operator until the end of the contract period, in addition to the fees for your new subscription. In tie-in contracts, the phone often has a SIM lock, due to which it cannot be used with another subscription until all fees based on the old contract have been paid in full.
Number porting requires that the consumer has a binding subscription contract with the operator.
- a subscription or tie-in contract bought online or from a telemarketer is not binding until the operator has sent the contractual terms and an order confirmation to the consumer, as well as having verified the orderer's identity. The orderer's identity can be verified, for example when he or she collects the subscription package containing the SIM card from the post office.
- a subscription ordered online or from a telemarketer can be cancelled within 14 days of receiving the order confirmation. Merely opening a product package and verifying its contents does not affect the cancellation right. If the company appeals against the cancellation right due to the device having been taken into use, it must provide proof that this has actually happened.
If you receive a notification of number porting from an operator, even if you have not ordered a subscription or have cancelled your order in accordance with the instructions, contact the operator which notified you of the number porting and demand that it be cancelled. The burden of proving that an order has been made lies with the company.