Can you change operator and keep your number?

There is: it is called mobile number portability, or MNP. Your number stays the same and only the operator providing the service changes. For anyone whose number is tied to a business, a bank account or mobile banking, that is a significant advantage.

You start the process with the operator you want to move to, not the one you are leaving. You apply at the new operator with your national ID and fingerprint, and they handle the rest. The transfer takes some time, and there can be a brief interruption of service during it.

A few things are worth settling first. Outstanding bills or running packages have to be cleared, and unused balance and packages on the old network generally do not travel with you. If a mobile-banking account is tied to the number, ask about that in advance too.

One consequence gets overlooked: after porting, the prefix no longer tells you the operator. A number starting 017 may sit on another network, so choosing an operator’s code by the prefix can be wrong.