Mobile Number Portability : In India by year end

Yes the news is true. This news is for people living in India, using Indian mobile numbers. If you read the todays newspaper, I am sure you must have come across this news.


People in India will soon be able to change their service providers while retaining their numbers. Telecom regulator Trai on issued regulations that will govern telecom mobile number portability (MNP) when it is launched in metros on December 31 and in the rest of the country by March 20, 2010.

Irrespective of the mobile technology and service provider you are using, you will get flexibility of retaining your number even if you switch service provider. Many a times, you get a good deal from a new provider say Vodafone but you are using Airtel. Now you dont want to leave your number (as you are using for long time, and people have your this number only), MNP allows you to do the same. Change your provider and keep your number same. This way gets more benifits, enjoy better deal. More options to the users. Consumer is the king !!

This will help to increase competition between service providers, catalysing improved quality of service and cheaper phone call rates.

While mobile number portability will be available only within a given licensed service area, however, if a number is already ported once, the number can be ported again only after 90 days from the date of the previous porting. Nice move by TRAI.

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Keep your number and switch service Provider : Mobile Number Portability in India

Hi,

The concept of Mobile number portability is still a concept in India, and is yet to be implemented. I guess many of you must be thinking to switch your mobile service provider but won't be doing that as you don't want to loose your mobile number.

Soon, if you are not satisfied with your mobile service provider (may be rates are high, or may be there are no schemes or for any other reason), then you will easily be able switch to some other mobile service provider that too without loosing your mobile number and keeping the same.

Mobile number portability simple means that Mobile number will not be permanently associaed with any provider. I guess this type concept is highly benicificial both for the customers and for mobile service providers.

Many a times people don't join a new service provider just because they will be loosing their mobile number (which they don't want to). This way a already grown network keeps growing and leaves no room for a new service provider. Mobile number portability will remove monopoly of these service providers.

Department of Telecom (DoT) has invited bids from companies with worldwide experience to implement MNP in India. It is expected that customers will be to access this facility in the second half of 2009.

DoT has also revealed that TRAI will decide the amount which customer will have to pay. In 2006, Trai had recommended that consumers pay between Rs 200 and Rs 300 every time he/she wants to change their service provider.

Lets just hope that MNP is launched in India soon.

Cheers.

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