This page is intended as a dedicated resource for regulatory documents relating to Geographic Number Portability (GNP), which was fully implemented in South Africa on 26 April 2010. From this date it became possible to port a single number from one provider to another (previously only blocks of 1 000 or more numbers could be ported).
GNP allows consumers to switch fixed line service providers while retaining their fixed line (or geographic) telephone number. It is an important pro-competitive regulatory intervention in that it allows new entrants into the fixed line market – most obviously VoIP providers – to gain market share. Up until the introduction of GNP the inability of a consumer to retain their number(s) when changing providers constituted a major obstacle to taking advantage of better priced offers due to the associated costs and inconveniences of changing number(s).
ICASA review of the Number Portability Regulations (commenced August 2016)
Notice of GNP implementation date
ICASA GNP Consumer Guidelines April 2010
When you hear three (3) beeps while making a call, it means that the number you are calling is a ported number.
Telkom GNP Consumer Guidelines
Inter-Operator Code of Practice on GNP Version 2.0
GNP Ordering Systems Specification 2010