Number porting in SA - Easier than expected

i ported a few years ago from voda to mtn. Was quick and easy and no downtime...
 
Sorry for the zombie thread. Just started porting from Cell C to MTN.

Did the portme# and got an SMS from cell C saying
"CELLCSP has received a request from MTNSP to port this number: XXXXXXXXXX. If this information is correct, send the following OTP YYYYY. This OTP is valid for 4 hours, after which failure to respond to this message, shall result with the port request being rejected."

Anyone got a clue as to WHO I should send that OTP to?

Time is ticking?
 
richjdavies said:
Time is ticking?
Click to expand...
Thanks for the help everyone ;)

Well I replied to that SMS with the OTP and sent the OTP to the MTN number just incase.

After about 15 mins got an SMS from another number which sounds like MTN
"Y'ello! Thank you for your Port request, it may take 24hrs to process. Please insert your new MTN sim card once your old sim card disconnects from the network. Please call 0831237667 for Port queries."

Another 15 mins later the Cell-C number replied 30 mins later with:
"Thank you for the OTP response"
umm okay... Not clear what that means... And it's after the other message?!

Anyway MTN's message sounds like it's all good... As of 20:00, cell-c is still active so haven't done anything yet.

Will report back in the morning!

For future porters if anyone knows what I was MEANT to have done, that would be great!

Btw -- why can't any flipping software developers in SA read their damn content before going live. Could they not have just said REPLY to this number the following OTP, why can't they be explicit! Similarly with Cell C... FFS if you're going to automatically respond with an ACK do it immediately or not at all, not 30 mins later after the other side has already finished their work... Grrrr...
 
richjdavies said:
Sorry for the zombie thread. Just started porting from Cell C to MTN.

Did the portme# and got an SMS from cell C saying
"CELLCSP has received a request from MTNSP to port this number: XXXXXXXXXX. If this information is correct, send the following OTP YYYYY. This OTP is valid for 4 hours, after which failure to respond to this message, shall result with the port request being rejected."

Anyone got a clue as to WHO I should send that OTP to?

Time is ticking?
Click to expand...
Exactly the same issue here. I replied to the Cell C SMS with the OTP. Nothing further. Just in case, I also sent it to the MTN number, also nothing. 4 hours later I got an SMS from Cell C to tell me that they had not received confirmation of the OTP so the port request was cancelled...

You have not responded to the OTP SMS OR Your OTP response was incorrect within 4 hours. Your porting request will have to be re-initiated.

So now... what? Trying the same as above again because I have no idea where to send this damn OTP.

@Cell_C any idea?
 
Last edited:
jbroo said:
.

So now... what? Trying the same as above again because I have no idea where to send this damn OTP.
Click to expand...

"Well I replied to that SMS with the OTP and sent the OTP to the MTN number just incase."

Thinking back it was the reply that seems to get a response see. Did you JUST send the OTP?
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20221124-203401.png
    Screenshot_20221124-203401.png
    169.7 KB · Views: 37
@Bradley Prior did mybroadband really test this?

It's stupid beyond belief. I'm in awe at the hoops we have to jump through just to change providers and keep a number.

I have a Cell C contract, which I just cancelled so I could migrate. I signed up for an MTN contract online via the MTN website (Black Friday special). Once all the tedious RICA stuff was done with the courier, I was told I could not port a Cell C contract number, and must first downgrade to prepaid. OK, done.

Next, I tried to port my number to the new MTN SIM using the PORTME# thing, and got no reply, on a few tries. After contacting MTN via Facebook (my helpdesk email still has nothing but an automatic reply), I got told there is a MTN porting helpline to call - 0831237667. Conveniently this is not advertised anywhere.

I called, and the consultant then told me I could not port to a MTN contract SIM and I should have told the sales person when I was signing up for my contract that I wanted to port my number (not an option anywhere when ordering online). The only solution now, he told me, was to go buy a prepaid MTN SIM and port my number to that, then wait for the port to complete, then call the activations hotline and have someone somehow help me to now move from the prepaid MTN SIM to my actual new MTN contract SIM.

So, I went to the local Ackermans for a prepaid MTN SIM and stood at the till for another 30 min while the store clerk figured out how to RICA the prepaid SIM. OK, got a burner SIM, onward.

Of course, I can't actually get past the step to port to the prepaid SIM because Cell C sends a stupidly worded SMS that tells you to "send the following OTP", which does nothing wherever you send it.

So here I sit, with a contract MTN SIM I can't use, a prepaid MTN SIM I can't use, a cancelled Cell C contract, and my debit order will probably go off like clockwork.

FFS, how can it be so complex to change networks and keep the same number, in 2022???

Number porting in SA - as stupid as expected.
 
Last edited:
Had this from MTN. Maybe you could call them

Y'ello! Thank you for your Port request, it may take 24hrs to process. Please insert your new MTN sim card once your old sim card disconnects from the network. Please call 0831237667 for Port queries.
Click to expand...
 
richjdavies said:
Had this from MTN. Maybe you could call them
Click to expand...
Thanks. That's the number I called today to get help on the process. It is however not operational after hours. Porting happens between 19:30 and 23:00 apparently.
 
jbroo said:
Thanks. That's the number I called today to get help on the process. It is however not operational after hours. Porting happens between 19:30 and 23:00 apparently.
Click to expand...

Sending that OTP is the issue - I think you need to raise the issue with CellC rather than MTN.

I recently jumped from Telkom to Mtn & with Telkom they had it setup so you only sent back a confirmation if you DIDN'T want the port to happen.
 
Tun@ said:
Sending that OTP is the issue - I think you need to raise the issue with CellC rather than MTN.
Click to expand...
I thought so too, so also loaded R10 airtime to my Cell C SIM, in case I could not send once the contract was downgraded to prepaid. I confirmed that I can send SMSes by texting a couple of friends, and they got them. Rebooted phone, cast spells, etc, etc. Seems that the OTP goes into a void.

@Cell_C care to comment or help me port my number please?
 
jbroo said:
I thought so too, so also loaded R10 airtime to my Cell C SIM, in case I could not send once the contract was downgraded to prepaid. I confirmed that I can send SMSes by texting a couple of friends, and they got them. Rebooted phone, cast spells, etc, etc. Seems that the OTP goes into a void.

@Cell_C care to comment or help me port my number please?
Click to expand...
Good day jbroo,

Thank you for reaching out to us.

Kindly receive our apologies for the unpleasant experience, there were technical issues with the porting system yesterday(24/11/2022). The issue has been resolved and you can resubmit your port to complete the transaction.

Regards,
^TN
 
@Cell_C thank you. This time it worked and I got a reply. You may want to consider rewording that SMS to say REPLY with this OTP.
 
jbroo said:
@Cell_C thank you. This time it worked and I got a reply. You may want to consider rewording that SMS to say REPLY with this OTP.
Click to expand...
Good day,

Thank you for the update and we are glad you were assisted.

We will ensure to forward your recommendation to the relevant Team.

Regards,
^TN
 
UPDATE: My number is now finally on an MTN prepaid SIM. However, it seems none of the MTN agents/stores can help me to move my number to the contract SIM. Everyone seems to shrug. The people at the store say call 135, the people on 135 say go to a store. What a f***ing joke. I have a contract SIM with a random number I don't want, and I can't move my preferred number to it. At this rate it's better to cancel. Are there any MTN reps on this forum?
 
Hi, I found myself in a similar situation with a new online MTN contract.
After following your advice to call 0831237667 to do a port forwarding I was confused why the agent wanted me to also get a new MTN Prepaid sim even though I'm already on a MTN prepaid sim.
She would have then after I ported my number to the new sim be able to help me... So after not giving up on the endless loop of prepaid sim to prepaid sim ( and then again?) conversation she realised to forward me to the MTN activations centre for a number swop (not a port) at 0831239622.

The activations agent escalated the request and said I should be getting a sms within the next 7 to 14 days where my current MTN prepaid number will be swopped to the new contract sim.
Lets see what happens
 
Yes, after calling the normal helpdesk and being told by the useless agent that "she can't help me" I also ended up calling activations. The agent there took both my old and new phone numbers as well as the SIM numbers, and logged a number change request. I twas told it would take 14-21 business days to take effect...

The bad part is I have no confirmation at all of this request - no reference number, email, or anything, so it's just a case of hoping and waiting. Did you get any sort of reference number?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X