NMHH launches number porting status service

Now it is easy to identify to which service provider a specific phone number belongs

Published: 27 May 2015

Statistics show that on average 10,000 phone numbers are ported between service providers every month. To promote conscious consumer behaviours, the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) has launched a new online number porting status service. Over 2000 visitors have used the web interface, also available in English, to enquire about the porting status of telephone numbers, i.e. to find out which service provider a specific phone number belongs to and from which operator it was ported.

Subscribers get updated and quick information about the numbers called at the online number porting status website at http://krapub.nmhh.hu, which uses the Central Reference Database (CRD) of NMHH to inform users whether a phone number is ported and which service provider it belongs to. Huge public interest for the service is indicated by over 2,000 queries run on phone numbers over the website, also available in English, since the service became available. This information is important to the caller party because call rates change when switching to a new service provider as per its new tariff schedule.

Rate information

Statistically, 10,000 phone numbers on average move between the networks of service providers each month. While the full phone number remains the same with the area code or the prefix, the service provider changes. With certain tariff packages it does not matter which service provider’s number the customer calls or sends a message to because the tariff within and outside the network are the same. In the case of other tariff packages, however, it may be important that minute and SMS rates differ when calling within our outside the service provider’s network. This difference may be significant if the rates of calls within and outside the network of the service provider differ significantly if the number previously within the same network is ported to another service provider or if another number joins the service provider’s network.

If the number called is ported and the caller’s service provider applies a different rate to calls to different service providers, the service provider of the calling party shall provide, directly before the call as a toll-free option available from its own network and subscriber handset, information to the calling party about the network of the service provider where the call is terminated and the applicable charges. NMHH has collected these toll-free information phone numbers of the service provider relevant to the ported numbers at http://nmhh.hu/dokumentum/152301/hordozott_szamok_informacios_telefonszamok.pdf.

Call the toll-free number at 1748

If the consumer has no access to the Internet at the time but would like to know if the specific call number can be called at a rate within or outside his/her service provider’s network, there are two ways to run the query from a mobile phone free of charge. Call the toll-free number 1748 from any network, then enter the prefix or area code and the 6 or 7-digit phone number and press the # key. Next a voice announces in which service provider’s network the specific phone number is operating.

All this can be also completed without a telephone code by using a USSD code. Just enter *126*, followed by prefix or area code and the phone number, then press the # key and the Call button, which does not place a call in this case but sends the code. E.g.: *126*201234567#Call button or*126*14577100#Call button. The mobile phone soon will display the service provider to which the specific phone number belongs.

Important: none of the query options above provide any information on subscriber data!

For more information on number porting, please visit: http://nmhh.hu/cikk/2746/A_szamhordozasi_eljaras