How to Port from Vodacom to MTN
Are you looking to port from Vodacom to MTN? If yes, then you should read this article. Vodacom and MTN are the biggest players on the telecommunications scene in South Africa. If you are a Vodacom customer, you may be looking to switch to MTN. Perhaps you have heard that MTN offers better service and better deals. Whether or not that is true, we are not going to say here. The following is how South Africans can port from Vodacom to MTN while keeping their numbers;
How to Port to MTN from Vodacom
To port from Vodacom to MTN, you need to take the following steps;
- First, you need to buy an MTN SIM.
- Register (RICA) your SIM. This can be done in store while buying your SIM.
- Keep the old SIM (your Vodacom SIM) inside your phone for now.
- Open messages and write the following message; PORTME#(MTN SIM number). The MTN SIM number has 10 digits.
- An example would be PORTME#0000000000
- Send the message to 083 767 8287
- You will now get a message on your current SIM telling you that your request is being processed.
- After 24 hours, or when your old SIM stops working, insert your new MTN SIM into your phone.
- Activate the new SIM by selecting New number.
How long does it take for a porting request to be processed?
Typically, a request to port from Vodacom to MTN will be processed that same day. However, you do need to be patient. In some cases, it can take up to 48 hours. In the event that you made a request and you have waited long enough with nothing happening, you can visit your nearest MTN store to have the issue sorted out.
What happens to the airtime and data that I had in my Vodacom line when I port to MTN?
If you have airtime in your phone, you should exhaust it all before porting from Vodacom to MTN. Otherwise you will lose it all. That’s because the process of porting wipes out all the airtime and data that you have in your phone. So, make sure that there is nothing in there beforehand. To be fair, these are different companies. So, it would be too much to expect Vodacom airtime to be moved to MTN.
Can I immediately switch back to Vodacom?
Some people are not really sure what they want. They learn how to port from Vodacom to MTN today, and the next day they want to switch back to Vodacom! Can this be done? Well, you will need to wait 60 days before making another port request. That’s probably for the best. Otherwise the system is going to get overwhelmed.
Why switch from Vodacom to MTN
This is something to which we have already alluded. Most people move from one network to the other because they have heard that the service is better there. Or they are looking to benefit from some promo that may be running on the new network. Whatever the case, number portability is one feature of the South African telecommunications scene that’s great.
It means you don’t have to be struck with a network that you are not happy with. And the good news is that you can switch without losing your number. That’s how to port from Vodacom to MTN in South Africa. Check out our article on how to port from Vodacom to Telkom if you would like that option.