Porting Authorisation Code

Telecommunications service is regulated in the UK by Ofcom. On 25 July 2003, Ofcom introduced the General Conditions of Entitlement which apply to all communications networks and service providers in the UK. Several amendments to this original document have been issued since this time. Condition 18 requires all providers to provide number portability but only to subscribers of publicly available telephone services who request it. Number portability must be provided as soon as practicable and on reasonable terms to subscribers, and bilateral porting arrangements between providers must accord with agreed processes. Some mobile phone companies can charge a fee to move the customer's number. This is usually no more than £25. The provider must issue a PAC within two hours of the port-out request, if such request was made over the phone for fewer than 25 numbers on a single account.