New policy will allow users to switch providers and keep number

China will allow all mobile users to switch telecommunications carriers while retaining their existing mobile numbers in 2019, government officials said during the ongoing Two Sessions in Beijing.

The new “number switch” policy, mentioned by Premier Li Keqiang in the government report, offers consumers more choice and makes the telecommunications market more fair and competitive.

China will continue cutting average mobile data traffic costs by 20 percent in 2019. Meanwhile, broadband costs for small and medium sized enterprises will be cut by 15 percent this year, according to Li. 

The long-awaited policy protects consumer rights and forces carriers, including China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, to offer users better and more competitive services. 

Most consumers are not able to retain their existing mobile numbers if they wish to switch to other carriers. Therefore, many have to “tolerate” high prices or unsatisfactory services with their existing carriers to continue using their numbers. 

By February, China had more than 1.56 billion mobile accounts, as some people have two or more smartphones. In 2019, mobile data costs will continue to drop by 20 percent, following a 63 percent drop last year, Miao Wei, the minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said during Two Sessions.

Carriers including China Mobile and China Telecom said they would prepare for the new policy, but details are not currently available.

The telecommunications market in China has more competition nowadays, which brings better services and lower costs. For example, the biggest mobile carrier, China Mobile, offers low-cost and even free broadband services in Shanghai. China Telecom, the biggest fixed-line and broadband service provider nationwide, offers mobile services with unlimited data capacity in Shanghai.