Estonia cuts mobile number transfer time to one working day

Estonia introduced faster mobile number portability on 1 November 2026, allowing customers to switch operators and keep their existing number as early as the next working day.

Under the previous system, transferring a number usually took four to six days. When a customer starts the request at an operator’s shop and receives a new SIM card there, the current operator must confirm the transfer on the same working day and the number moves to the new network at 03:00 on the next working day. An eSIM can also be delivered immediately; customers ordering a physical SIM need to wait until it arrives.

The new system adds an SMS alert when a number transfer is initiated, giving customers a chance to flag a request they did not make. Telia Estonia says number transfers were temporarily paused from 23 October during the system changeover, with those delayed transfers expected to complete on 3 November.

The Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs says the reform is intended to make switching easier and strengthen competition. Whether it leads to lower mobile tariffs remains to be seen.

Sources: Estonian Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs; Telia Estonia.