How to Port from MTN to Vodacom

Are you looking to port from MTN to Vodacom? If yes, then you need to read this article. MTN and Vodacom are the two major players on the mobile communications scene in South Africa. It’s not uncommon for people to want to switch from one network to the other. In fact, millions of South Africans do this every year. So, how do you switch from MTN to Vodacom while keeping your number?

How to Switch from MTN to Vodacom

To port from MTN to Vodacom, you need to take the following steps;

  1. First, you need to buy a Vodacom sim. You can do so at your nearest Vodacom store.
  2. Next, make sure that your new SIM is registered (RICAed). You require an I.D and proof of residence to do this.
  3. For the moment, you need to keep the old MTN SIM in your phone.
  4. Open messages on your phone and create a new messages.
  5. Type the following in the messages field; portme + your new Vodacom SIM number.
  6. An example of would be; portme 0828378374.
  7. Send the messaged to 0827678287.
  8. You will receive a message confirming your port request. The message will give you a port date.
  9. A day after this date, put your new SIM into your phone.
  10. Dial 136 to activate your new SIM.

How long does the process take?

The process to port from MTN to Vodacom takes about 24 hours. That’s the period that you need to port to Vodacom from MTN. That’s normal across the board. It’s applies whether you are looking to port from Vodacom to MTN, or to port from MTN to Telkom. Please note that you can also choose a port date that’s later than 24 hours. But that date needs to be within the next 30 days.

Who can Port to Vodacom from MTN?

The instructions given above are for prepaid customers. Contract customers can also port. If you are one, you are, however, going to need to go to your nearest Vodacom line to get the process done. You will probably need to fill out some papers before the process can be initiated.

Why Port from MTN to Vodacom

As noted earlier, people routinely switch between the networks in South Africa. MTN and Vodacom are both pretty competitive. There is always something on offer, which is one of the reasons why people tend to want to move from one network to the other. You may be looking to port from MTN to Vodacom because you have heard that Vodacom rocks in terms of service.

Or you have decided that they are cheaper. Whatever the case, number portability is one of the things that’s great about the telecommunications scene in South Africa. If you get tired of one network, you can always switch to another. The major advantage of porting is that you get to keep your mobile number. So, you avoid the inconveniences that come from having to reach all your contacts to tell them that you have a new number.

Can I switch back to my old network?

That’s how to port to Vodacom from MTN. But what do you do if you discover that the network to which you have moved actually does not perform as expected? Well, you can always switch back to your old network. However, you are not going to be able to do so within 90 days. That’s the rule. So, you need to be sure that you really wish to port from MTN to Vodacom.

13 thoughts on “How to Port from MTN to Vodacom”

  1. Good morning I recently lost my mtn sim card and would like to port to Vodacom how would I go about doing this if possible

    Reply
    • Here is a message from Vodacom; “To port to our network the Porting SMS needs to be sent from the individuals existing SIM number. Because this individual has lost their SIM, they would first need to contact MTN with regards to doing a SIM Swap so that they can keep their current number.
      Once that is done, only then will they be able to port to Vodacom.

      We hope this helps!

      Reply
  2. signed new MTN contract and received sim, but need to keep my old vodacom number that i have for years already.
    how do i do that?

    MTN says i can, buy purchasing a new MTN sim and porting my vodacom number to that sim, but i will not be able to move my number to the new CONTRACT sim as it has already been activated.

    anyone have some clarity on this

    Reply
    • Hi. As they say, you need to port your number to MTN. That’s something that you should have done before signing your contract. Maybe you can port and then do something like call forwarding ie, have all your calls from the old number forwarded to the new contract number. Or get a dual SIM phone and continue using your Vodacom number. Or get a feature phone to use your old number. Many options, none of them really the best.

      Reply
  3. I tried porting my mtn number to Vodacom using above, however I get return sms stating “ sorry, please enter keyword PORTME followed by valid sim number?
    I checked, sim number I’m using is registered on Vodacom network as I bought airtime.
    Please advise

    Reply

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