Metro Manila landline numbers migrate to 8-digits from 7 on Oct. 6

MANILA - Telecommunication providers and other business establishments have reiterated the migration to 8-digit landline numbers from 7 digits effective Oct. 6, in compliance with the directive of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Under NTC Memorandum Order No. 10-10-2017, each telco was given an "identifier" as an additional prefix to add to existing phone numbers with the area code (02).

The change was imposed to cater to the growing number of landline users in the area, providers Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc have said.

Globe landline customers with area code (02) will have to add number "7" to their existing number starting Oct. 6. Its subsidiary Bayan Telecommunications was assigned the number "3" as its identifier.

New format (02) 7210-XXXX from (02) 210-XXXX

New format (02) 3220-XXXX from (02) 220-XXXX

Number "8", meanwhile, was assigned to PLDT Inc. All landline numbers with area code (02) under PLDT Inc will have to add the number "8" before the existing 7-digit numbers, the telco announced on its Facebook page.

(02) 8535889

After the migration, 7-digit phone numbers will no longer be reachable, PLDT Inc said.

During the migration period, consumers may experience a 5-hour downtime from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Oct. 6, the telcos said.

Banks and other businesses have also announced the migration of their hotline numbers to 8 digits, following the identifier assigned to their respective telco service providers.

Updated hotline numbers of major banks:

• UnionBank: (02) 8-841-8600
• BPI: (02) 889-10000
• BDO: (02) 8631-800
• Security Bank: (02) 888-791-88
• EastWest Bank: (02) 888-1700