Indian telecom regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced that Mobile Number portability (MNP) will be implemented in all the telecom circles across India from Oct 31 without any further delay.
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) allows the Mobile service subscribers to retain their existing mobile number when they move from one Service Provider to another Service Provider with in a same licensed service area.
This move is irrespective of the mobile technology or from one cellular mobile technology to another of the same access provider, in a licensed service area. In other words, the Mobile Service Subscriber can switch from one operator to other operator with in telecom circle.
The facility of retention of existing mobile number despite moving to a new telecom/Mobile service provider helps in increasing competition between the service providers and acts as a catalyst for the service providers to improve their quality of service.
Mr. J S Sarma, Chairman Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said that "India's GSM and CDMA Mobile service users would have access to mobile number portability (MNP) from October 31. There will be no further delay in the implementation of MNP in India."
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said that Mobile Service operators must ensure that all inter-operator tests for porting the numbers from one service provider to another are completed before Sept 1, 2010 to implement the MNP by Oct 31st 2010.
The mobile service operators - Bharti Airtel, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) , Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), Reliance, Vodafone Essar, Tata Teleservices (Tata Indicom/Tata Docomo), Idea cellular, STel and Aircel said they are ready with the infrastructure to implement the MNP service.
The Government of India had set the time line for implementation of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Service as 31st March 2010 in the month of December, 2009 which was further extended to 30th June 2010. In the month of June, 2010, Government once again extended the time line for implementation of MNP to 31st October, 2010.
MNP charges Paid By the Subscribers:-
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has fixed Rs.19 for the Mobile Number Portability Per Port Transaction Charge and the dipping charge is left to mutual negotiation between the telecom service providers and the respective MNP service providers. TRAI also cleared that the Porting charge amount to be paid by the subscriber shall not be more than the per port transaction charge Rs 19. The operators are free to charge any amount less than or equal to this charge.
