While we continue experiencing and always be on analysis mode, it's quite a time for us to experience National Mobile Number portability and now we put forward our initial experiences and problems faced on NMNP on Airtel.
Steps, Documentation, Verification, SMS information, Activation :
Donor Operator : Airtel AP | Recipient Operator : Airtel KA | Requested : prepaid to prepaid migration
1. Porting code generated on : July 8th 2015
2. Visited ARC and submitted NMNP request on July 8th 2015 around 6:45pm
3. Documents required : Valid documents with Photo ID + Address proof + Photo. (Any circle's proofs will do)
4. Local Reference details : In the CAF, one needs to provide (Name, contact No, Address) details of 1 local reference person be it from family/friends.
4. Due to some issue with the application the store personnel informed me that "request will be processed in systems the next day. i.e. on July 9th 2015".
5. SMS communication received : For Porting request 09/07/2015 - 04:59pm - 1st communication
6. Airtel claims incoming free on roaming within Airtel network once customers raise a number portability request until it is processed.
This is facilitated to customer only after the day the ARC executive processed NMNP request. So, in my case I received free incoming from 10th July 00:00 hours on wards. Till that time you will be charged for incoming on roaming.
Screenshot for incoming call as on 09/07/2015
Screenshot for incoming call as on 10/07/2015 : Incoming made free
7. Verification Call : After a day or two a verification call goes to the local reference provided in the CAF and request is processed after a +ve result.
8.Activation on Airtel Karnataka Circle : Activation processed on 15 July 2014 - approximately ~4 days
There is no intimation regarding PORTING date/time to customer via SMS. All of a sudden I received SIM Card Registration Failed message on my screen, after which I inserted the new SIM and proceeded with televerification.
This completes the NMNP procedure on Airtel.
*Due to various regulations - NMNP requests are no more processed within 24 hour turn around time as claimed by airtel with its customer first perspective.
Experiences & Issues :
1. SMS Communication : Only 1 SMS is sent to user which is just a notification of receipt on PORTING request. No, customer essential details like porting date/time were communicated via SMS to user (at least in my case).
2. After incoming free is provisioned to user upon receipt of porting request - No SMS communication is sent, there by arising confusions among customers if incoming is made free or still being charged.
3.After porting is completed and activation is done, no Welcome message is received.
4. Rs 5 is credited to account immediately after activation as a friendly token.
5. Airtel claims Balance transfer to the new circle within network : Amount from your previous balance will be credited to new account after 48 hours and not immediately after activation. I got my balance transfer processed after 2 days and there is no SMS communication for the same until I checked my balance.
Some issues faced and reported: For prepaid segment
6. Even after successful tele verification and activation, calls gets routed again to tele verification and executive says it's already active as per the system information - might be an issue with switch.
7. SMS will not be delivered from airtel numbers to the customer who availed NMNP. Screenshot attached. When I tried to send sms to the person who availed NMNP within airtel network from my airtel number, SMS delivery failed.
8.CLI (Caller Line Identification): After porting all incoming calls show as "Unknown".
9.Balance on Screen : Will not work for calls/sms. After every call/sms you will not get the balance deduction onscreen popup.
10.Number doesn't exist : When tried to call from other airtel numbers will receive "number doesn't exist" message and call doesn't connect but will be able to receive calls from the numbers. Some times, need to add 0 (zero) for the calls to get connected.
11.No Network shows up on the new SIM but old SIM CARD registration fails.
Not sure of the VAS services and customer profile transfer facility, as airtel have not mentioned anything in its official statement regarding the same and it may be considered separately. While we continue testing and analyzing various scenarios with other networks (prepaid/post)as well are you happy with NMNP on airtel?
Dear readers, have you availed NMNP facility on your network upon requirement ? Do let us know your experiences via comments or you can also mail me at Srikapardhi[at]telecomtalk[dot]info.
*Note : Personal/friends/TT readers shared experiences. Above experiences only relate to prepaid segment. May or may not be the same with your case/circle. NMNP National Mobile Number Portability
