PLDT, Globe set to implement 8-digit format to all phone numbers in Greater Metro Manila on Oct. 6

September 30, 2019

PLDT Inc and Globe Telecom said they will implement 8-digit format to all telephone numbers in the Greater Metro Manila area by October 6. 

PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. said this is in compliance with the directive of the National Telecommunications Commission. 

The NTC issued Memorandum Order No. 10-10-2017 on October 27, 2017 directing all telecommunications companies in the Philippines to migrate all customers within the area code 02 to 8-digit telephone numbers, from the existing 7 digits.  

This is to ensure there will be sufficient resource pool to cater to the rapid growth of landline customers in major cities.

The NTC assigned each telecom operator with a public telecommunications entity (PTE) identifier as an additional prefix to its phone number. 

The assigned PTE identifier for Globe and its subsidiary Innove is “7". Aa Globe customer with existing landline or Duo number of (02) 210-XXXX will have to use (02) 7210-XXXX come October 6.

Globe subsidiary, Bayan Telecommunications, has "3" as its PTE identifier.  A Bayan customer, for example, will have to change his or her number from  (02) 220-XXXX to (02) 3220-XXXX.

For PLDT, the PTE identifier is 8. 

Globe General Counsel Froilan Castelo said it is all set for October 6. 

“We are ready to migrate all customers with landline in Greater Metro Manila to 8-digit telephone numbers. Our teams are continuously working closely with the NTC and other telcos to assist affected customers before, during, and after the migration," he said.  

PLDT said it is urging its subscribers to update the details of their business cards, flyers, websites and social media. 

The NTC and local telcos scheduled the migration on October 6, 2019 from 12 am to 5 am. During  this period, affected customers  may experience service interruption as telcos update their system to the new format.

The National Complaint Hotline 8888 and emergency special numbers which are less than 7-digits and start with 1 or 9  such as Emergency Hotline 911, MMDA 136, Lifeline Arrows 16911, and Rescue Operations 161, among others, will remain the same. 

Original migration date set by NTC was on March 18, 2019 but it was moved to a later schedule in response to petitions filed by the Bankers Association of the Philippines and Credit Card Association of the Philippines.  DMS