Ofcom forces mobile operators to provide PAC within two hours

Mobile phone operators will have to give customers what is known as a porting authorisation code (PAC) either immediately over the phone or within two hours by text message.

The new rules, implemented by Ofcom, will allow people who want to switch operators but hold on to their current number, to transfer this within one working day, rather than the two days it previously took.

This applies even if the person is still tied into a contract, although the operator can and usually will make them pay a termination charge.

The changes come as a survey from Billmonitor shows that, on average; just over 25 million people in the UK waste £195 a year on their mobile phone bills.

Most of these people (52 per cent) are paying more than they need to because they have overestimated the minutes and text messages they need. About one in three people surveyed waste money on calls, texts and data usage that exceeds their limit.

Ernest Doku, at uSwitch, said: "Ofcom's decision places the power back into consumers' hands, putting them in a much stronger position to move networks and save money on their mobile. This move is long overdue and finally puts the UK on a level playing field with the rest of Europe.

"The process of keeping your phone number when you switch networks has been extremely cumbersome until now and has been a major barrier to switching. In fact over 18 million have never switched mobile phone network with many concerned about losing their phone number."

Ofcom has been reducing the time it allows mobile operators to give people a PAC over the last few years. Previously some operators have issued these numbers by post and it could take several days to arrive.

A PAC lasts for 30 days and is given by the customer to the new operator and can be activated within 24 hours.

According to Ofcom research, in 2010, only eight per cent of all people with a mobile phone switched provider. But uSwitch said its latest survey had found that 13 million mobile users would be more likely to switch regularly if it was easier to keep their phone number.