Lisbon, Nov. 10, 2025 (Lusa) - As of today, telecoms operators are prohibited from charging customers for mobile phone number portability, according to the National Communications Authority (Anacom).

In January, the new rules for the process that allows you to keep your mobile phone number when you change operator were published in the Diário da República.

Speaking to Lusa, an official Anacom source explained at the time that the changes are intended to "strengthen consumer protection".

Among these measures is a ban on companies charging direct portability fees to end users who hold contracts associated with the numbers.

Another point highlighted by the regulator was the introduction of new compensation for customers who fail to fulfil the scheduling of "physical intervention in the network", forcing it to be rescheduled for another day.

The amount of this compensation was set at €10 in the new regulation. Still, Anacom warned that this compensation will only be paid by the provider, i.e. the new contracted operator, "when the non-compliance is not due to reasons attributable to the end user".

Among the main changes is also the obligation for the receiving provider (RP) to ensure that portability and the subsequent activation of numbers occur on the date expressly agreed with the customer, within the shortest possible period and no later than one working day from that date.

In addition, "in the event of termination of the contract, and unless he waives this right at the time of deactivation of the service, the end user retains the right to port PNN [National Numbering Plan] numbers to another company," he added.

Other changes to the portability regulations, not the result of the entry into force of the LCE, are aimed at companies in the sector, namely the limitation on the wholesale cost that operators can pass on to competitors for the service. This is now capped at one euro.

PE/ADB // ADB.

Lusa