Porting a mobile number into e& - the rules, not the folklore
Porting is recipient-led: the operator you are moving to owns the request, and the operator you are leaving only gets to object on narrow, published grounds. Most rejected ports fail on record mismatch, not on paperwork you forgot.
Eligibility, before you fill anything in
The number must be active and **not suspended** with the current operator, and the account must not be under a legal hold. Outstanding dues do not by themselves block a port - you can port with a balance owing and settle it later - but a suspended line will be refused outright.
The name, Emirates ID number and mobile number you give the receiving operator must match what the donating operator holds. A mismatch between the registration records is the single most common rejection reason, and it is fixed at the donor, not at the counter you are standing in.
Premium and VIP numbers can be ported, on the same process as any other number. Secondary or family numbers move together with their primary line - a secondary number cannot be ported on its own.
Once a number has been ported, the same number cannot be ported again for 30 days. If you port and immediately regret it, there is a short window (three working days from activation) to request a port back to the original operator.
What you hand over
Emirates ID (original and copy), the number being ported, the last bill from the current operator if you have it, and for a postpaid tier a salary certificate where the tier requires a minimum income.
You will be given a temporary number on the new SIM while the port runs; the real number arrives on cutover. Plan around it: banking apps and two-factor messages keep working on the old SIM until the switch, then move in seconds.
Use up the credit and allowances on the donating line before the switch - balances do not travel with the number.
Timing, and what to do if it stalls
The regulator's framework expects the receiving operator to complete a mobile port within one working day of a valid request; in practice two to three working days is normal for postpaid where a credit check runs.
If the port window passes with nothing happening, chase the **receiving** operator with the request reference - they own the transaction. Keep the SMS that tells you the cutover time; the number is offline briefly at that moment, which is not a fault.
Do not cancel or disconnect the old line yourself. A port deactivates it. Cancelling first drops the number and can put it back into the pool.
What to use, exactly
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Start a port | the receiving operator's shop, app or authorised dealer - not the one you are leaving |
| Check the record you must match | the mobile number and Emirates ID details registered with the current operator |
| If it is refused | ask for the rejection reason in writing; a record mismatch is corrected at the donor, then re-submitted |
Keep these open next to each other
Say it in one message
Tell us the number type (prepaid, postpaid, business), what the device shows and what you already tried. If it is ours to chase, we will draft the request for you.
Send it on WhatsAppWhere to check it yourself
- The operator's own plan and support pages - the text your order form was written from
- The regulator's complaint portal - what to file, in what order, with which evidence
These pages belong to the operator and the regulator - open them side by side with your own bill or app before acting on anything here.
Verify this yourself in two minutes
- Prices and inclusions: the operator's own plan page for your emirate, then the same figure on the order form you signed.
- Your line state: the My du app - Account > Services shows suspension, bar, data cap and contract end.
- Faults in your area: My du app > Support > Outage status, or 155 from a du mobile (free).
- Anything regulatory (billing disputes, escalation): TDRA - your complaint must cite the ticket number du gave you, dated.
Confirm the current fee and the exact menu path in the operator app before you act on anything here.
If a number on this page and a number in your app disagree, the app wins - and we would like to know: WhatsApp us the screenshot and we correct the page.