+63 9XX numbers: Philippine mobile phones explained

A number starting +63 9 followed by nine more digits (0917, 0918, 0919, 0991 and so on inside the Philippines) is a Philippine mobile number on Globe, Smart or DITO. Since mobile number portability began in 2021, the prefix shows only the network that first issued the number, not the one it uses today.

Philippines · Mobile numbers · Facts checked November 9, 2026

What these numbers look like

From abroad: +63 9XX XXX XXXX
Inside Philippines: 09XX XXX XXXX

Philippine mobile numbers are 11 digits locally (starting 09) and 10 digits after +63. From abroad drop the 0: 0917 becomes +63 917.

Who uses +63 9XX numbers?

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) assigns mobile network codes. A 1994 NTC circular reserved the 09XY series for network access codes, and later circulars opened more 09 ranges as demand grew. Representative prefixes: Globe calls 0917 its signature prefix and added 0915 and 0916 when 0917 filled up; Smart describes 0919 as its popular prefix and uses 0918 in its own dialling examples; DITO uses 0991 for its own lines. Under the Mobile Number Portability Act (Republic Act 11202, 8 February 2019), every subscriber can keep their number when switching networks free of charge; the commercial service started on 30 September 2021. The SIM Registration Act (Republic Act 11934, 10 October 2022) requires every SIM to be registered to a named user before activation.

Prefix	Operator	Note
0915, 0916, 0917 (and others)	Globe / TM	Original network only; number may have been ported
0918, 0919 (and others)	Smart / TNT	Original network only; number may have been ported
0991 (and others)	DITO	Original network only; number may have been ported

Who is calling you from a +63 9XX number?

Philippine mobile numbers are used for almost everything: family abroad, couriers, online sellers, e-wallet support and recruitment agencies. A caller claiming to be a government agency, your network or your e-wallet and asking for a code is the main warning sign.

Scams seen with +63 9XX numbers

Fake DICT 'SIM suspension' calls: the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) warned in 2024 about callers posing as DICT staff, claiming the victim's SIM had been recommended for suspension.
Rewards-points phishing: Smart (January 2025) and Globe with the CICC warned about texts telling subscribers their reward points will expire and linking to fake login pages. Both networks say they do not send clickable links in official texts.
Fake job offers using the recipient's full name: Globe, at the NTC's direction, warned about texts that address people by name while offering jobs or cash prizes.

What to do about a call from +63 9XX

Call the government anti-scam hotline 1326 (Inter-Agency Response Center, run by the CICC under DICT) to report a scam call or message.
Report scam texts through the eReport feature in the eGov PH app, which the CICC recommends for SMS scams.
Use your network's own channel too, for example Globe's #StopSPAM portal.
Never share one-time PINs or e-wallet codes, whoever the caller claims to be. Networks, banks and DICT do not ask for them.
Do not trust the prefix to tell you the network: a 0917 number may now be on Smart or DITO.

Check the exact number

A series tells you what kind of line called. To check the full number you got, use these free tools:

Phone number validator: which country, mobile or landline, and whether the length is right.
Spam number checker: warning signs that a caller is a scammer.
Who called me? Reverse phone lookup: what the number tells you about the caller.
Philippines country code +63: full dialing guide and number formats.
Calling Philippines from abroad: per-minute rates if you need to call someone there.

Frequently asked questions

Is +63 917 Globe or Smart?

0917 was issued by Globe, but because of mobile number portability the owner may have moved it to Smart or DITO while keeping the number.

What is the 1326 hotline?

It is the national anti-scam hotline of the Inter-Agency Response Center, run by the CICC under the Department of Information and Communications Technology. You can report scam calls and texts there.

Are Philippine SIM cards registered to a real person?

Yes. Since the SIM Registration Act of 2022, SIMs must be registered with ID before they work, but scammers still use spoofing equipment and registered SIMs bought with false identities.

How do I call a +63 9 number from abroad?

Dial +63, then the number without its leading 0: 0918 XXX XXXX becomes +63 918 XXX XXXX.

Sources

Numbering facts on this page come from the regulator or operator sources below, checked November 9, 2026. We never publish individual personal phone numbers.

Republic Act No. 11202 - Mobile Number Portability Act (8 Feb 2019), via Lawphil (lawphil.net)
Lawphil - Republic Act No. 11934, SIM Registration Act (10 Oct 2022), 2022 statutes index (lawphil.net)
DITO - Mobile Number Portability (RA 11202, free switching) (dito.ph)
NTC - Memorandum Circular 11-5-94, Fundamental Numbering Plan (09XY network access codes) (ntc.gov.ph)
Globe - Understand Mobile Prefixes to Dodge Scams (0917, 0915, 0916) (globe.com.ph)
Smart - Signature postpaid FAQs (0919 number range) (smart.com.ph)
Smart - How to call and text on prepaid, Smart International (+63 918 example) (smart.com.ph)
NTC Region VIII - Contact Us (DITO 0991 line) (region8.ntc.gov.ph)
PNA - Netizens urged to save gov't anti-scam response hotline 1326 (pna.gov.ph)
PNA - CICC warns public vs. SIM suspension scam (pna.gov.ph)
PNA - Report scam SMS via eGov app: CICC (pna.gov.ph)
PNA - Smart warns subscribers vs. reward points phishing scam (pna.gov.ph)
PNA - CICC, Globe warn vs. rewards 'points expiration' SMS scam (pna.gov.ph)
Globe - Globe warns vs spoofed messages for rewards claims (globe.com.ph)