The Government eliminates the limitations on the portability of the telephone number in case of change of operator

May 26, 2020.- The Council of Ministers has today approved the elimination of limitations to users to change operators by keeping their phone number, which is known as portability. This restriction was adopted in an extraordinary situation and its objective was to contribute to dealing with the health crisis of COVID-19, limiting the physical movements of both the user and the technicians of telecommunications companies.

That measure contributed to the protection of the health of citizens and to the containment of the progression of the pandemic by maintaining the provision of electronic communications services and guaranteeing connectivity.

The measures that have been adopted during the state of alarm have made it possible for Spain, at the present time, to begin a process of gradual reduction of the extraordinary measures to restrict mobility. The Plan for the transition to a new normality, approved on April 28, 2020, provides for the gradual reactivation of all sectors of the economy.

Once the entire national territory is already in Phase 1 or Phase 2, the elimination of the restrictions on portability will allow the telecommunications market to recover its dynamism and full operation and, at the same time, the ability of the citizens to choose the services that best suit their needs is restored.

Once the Royal Decree-Law approved today enters into force, Article 20 of Royal Decree-Law 8/2020, of 17 March, will be repealed and only the extraordinary obligation remains for operators not to interrupt electronic communications, as they are essential services, until the state of alarm is ended, even in the case of subscribers who have not proceeded with the payment.

For this reason, the measures adopted today include a procedure that makes it easier for subscribers to satisfy outstanding invoices in a flexible way.

Electronic communications operators will be obliged to offer a fractionation and postponement of the debt incurred by their subscribers from the date of the beginning of the state of alarm and until June 30, 2020. The period for making the split payments shall be six months, unless the subscriber has freely agreed with the operator a different period and no interest of delay may accrue and guarantees for the split and postponement shall be required.