Mobile Number Portability

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Communications & Information Technology

13-December-2010 18:05 IST

Mobile Number Portability

Telecom Service Providers have made necessary changes in their network for implementation of Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The MNP has been launched in Haryana on 25-11-2010 and it is to be launched in rest of the country w.e.f. 20-01-2011.

The guidelines for criteria to be adopted for MNP services have laid down by TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India). The consumers will have the choice of selecting their Telecom Service Provider (operator) without changing their number, provided a minimum period of 90 days has elapsed after subscription to the mobile service of the current service provider. For change of service provider i.e. porting, a subscriber has to send a SMS (short message service) from the number he wishes to be ported, to number 1900 whereby a Unique Porting Code (UPC) will be received on SMS from his current service provider. The subscriber will need to apply in the prescribed application form to the chosen new service provider quoting the UPC which will act as a reference while filling up the application form with new service provider. The new service provider will then take action to get the required process completed to enable the subscriber to get connected to his network. Porting has to be completed within 7 working days. TRAI has put a ceiling of Rs. 19/- on porting charges which the new service provider may collect from the subscriber. Post-paid subscribers before making the porting request, have to make sure that their last bill has been paid failing which the request for change to new service provider shall be rejected. In the case of pre-paid subscriber any balance amount left will not be carried forward when the number is transferred to the new service provider.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology, Shri Sachin Pilot in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

SP/AS