Mobile Network Portability In India: Your Mobile Network

Can Change But Mobile Number Will Not

Great news, folks. If you have waiting to switch your mobile service provider but have held back for the fear of having
your mobile number changed, it’s time you welcome the change. Mobile Network Portability is now available in India.
Officially launched by Mr. Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of Communications & Information Technology, Mobile Network
Portability in India is now available in the state of Haryana. It is soon expected to grace all the leading networks
across the country.
Using this service, mobile phone users can now switch carriers (from Vodafone to Airtel or Idea to BSNL, etc.) without
changing their mobile number. This means that if you are willing to avail Vodafone services on your Airtel number, for
instance, you could request for your mobile phone number to be ported on Airtel or any other carrier of your choice.
Mobile Number Portability isn’t new to the world of telecommunications. It has been around since the year 2001
(onwards) in numerous countries like Canada, Brazil, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Finland, Sweden, UK,
USA and many others.

Most of the countries provide this service for free. However there are limitations and terms & conditions that users are
expected to oblige. In India, the change mobile number service would cost a one-time fee of just Rs. 19.

Users who are willing to port their mobile numbers to the carriers of the choice will have to:

1. Confirm from their current/existing service provider if it offers Mobile Number Portability.

2. If yes, type “PORT <own mobile number>” (without the quotes) and send it to 1900.
 3. Users will receive a UPC porting code by SMS. Use this code in the CAF application form and MNP form and
submit it to the desired (new) service provider.

4. Once the carrier approves the request, it would take a minimum time of 2 hours to port your number to the new
carrier.

It is worth noting that your mobile phone will be “dead” during the course of porting which is believed to take place
between 10PM and 5AM to avoid any inconvenience to the users. Unfortunately, any prepaid balance on your
existing network will not be carried forward.

MNP Launch Event - Haryana, India

Also, you can change carriers multiple number of times. However, one is required to use the changed/new network
carrier for a tenure of at least 3 months before option for another change.

There are numerous service providers in India, most popular and leading of which include Airtel, Vodafone, Tata,
IdeaCellular, BSNL, Reliance among others. Carriers may either charge you a niggling sum of Rs.19 or can even
wave off this fee – depends entirely on Carrier/your mobile service provider.
Reportedly, BSNL is providing this service free of Cost while other carriers may still engage the charges on this
service. Also, it is very important to note that Mobile Network Portability is rolling out in phases in India and will be
available full-fledged through January 2011.

Mobile Number Portability (MNP)

Switch your mobile phone network and keep your existing number!
What is mobile number portability (MNP)? Mobile number portability (MNP) is the process of
transferring (porting) your mobile phone number from one mobile phone network provider to another. You
may want to do this if you wish to sign up to a new mobile phone provider and keep your original mobile
phone number, thus saving you the inconvenience of updating your contacts with your new telephone
number. Mobile number porting is becoming increasingly popular worldwide due to the savings that can be
made by switching mobile phone providers in order to get a better mobile phone tariff...
Use our handy tool to port your mobile phone number
• First, select your country from the top menu
• Select your current mobile phone provider
• Select your new mobile phone provider
• Click OK!
Will You Change your Operator When Mobile Number Portability is Introduced ?

Be advised that this is a public poll: other users can see the choice(s) you selected.
Poll Options
Will You Change your Operator When Mobile Number Portability is Introduced ?

Yes, I will change

No, I am Happy with Existing one

Can't Say, Depends

Will you change your operator when mobile number portability

is introduced?
This is a discussion on Will you change your operator when mobile number portability is introduced? within
the HOT Debates - The Big Fight forums, part of the Management Students Voices ( MBA,BMS,MMS,BMM,BBA)
category; Will you change your operator when mobile number portability is introduced? Hey guys, As Cellular
Operators Association of India (COAI) ...

View Poll Results: Will You Change your Operator When Mobile Number Portability is Introduced ?

Yes, I will change 23 37.70%

No, I am Happy with Existing one 23 37.70%

Can't Say, Depends 15 24.59%

Voters: 61. You have already voted on this poll

Kartik Raichura Founder & CEO at Management Paradise

I'd definately be changing my current operator, DOLPHIN. The service sucks, the charges are too high and
the network gives me the creeps.

i would change my current operator........as maximum of my friends are using different network..and b'se of
it i m charged a lot.......

HARIMOHAN COLLEGE
I AM O WITH MY EXISTING CONNECTION BUT I THINK THIS THING WILL HELP THOSE WHO HAVE THE
MONEY TO KEEP CHANGING THEIR OPERATORS

i will definitely change my operator if it happens. as this will provide us th opportunity to select the cheap
and the best operator with the same number.

YES ! I current have a vodafone connecttion the prices are too steep man, i will definitely look for
better options

kunnal-khalsa yes that would really help us in lot many ways and revoltionized the ltelecom industry

i m dnt even wether i shud switch to another operater or not bcoz we hve all the sims t home none of its
work well so dnt know

Mobile number portability (MNP) enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone
numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another.

General overview
MNP is implemented in different ways across the globe. The international and European standard is for a
customer wishing to port his/her number to contact the new provider (Recipient) who will then arrange
necessary process with the old provider (Donor). This is also known as 'Recipient-Led' porting. The UK is
the only country to not implement a Recipient-Led system, where a customer wishing to port his/her
number is required to contact the Donor to obtain a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) which he/she then
has to give to the Recipient. Once having received the PAC the Recipient continues the port process by
contacting the Donor. This form of porting is also known as 'Donor-Led' and has been criticised by some
industry analysts as being inefficient. It has also been observed that it may act as a customer deterrent as
well as allowing the Donor an opportunity of 'winning-back' the customer. This might lead to distortion of
competition, especially in the markets with new entrants that are yet to achieve scalability of operation.

[edit]Technical details
A significant technical aspect of MNP (Mobile Number Portability) is related to the routing of calls or
mobile messages (SMS, MMS) to a number once it has been ported. There are various flavours of call
routing implementation across the globe but the international and European best practice is via the use of
a central database (CDB) of ported numbers. Network operator makes copies of CDB and queries it to
find out which network to send a call to. This is also known as All Call Query (ACQ) and is highly efficient
and scalable. Majority of the established and upcoming MNP systems across the world are based on this
ACQ/CDB method of call routing. One of the very few countries to not use ACQ/CDB is the UK where
calls to a number once it has been ported are still routed via the Donor network. This is also known as
'Indirect Routing' and is highly inefficient as it is wasteful of transmission and switching capacity. Because
of its Donor dependent nature, Indirect Routing also means that if the Donor network develops a fault or
goes out of business, the customers who have ported out of that network will lose incoming calls to their
numbers. The UK telecoms regulator Ofcom completed its extended review of the UK MNP process on 29
November 2007 and mandated that ACQ/CDB be implemented for mobile to mobile ported calls by no
later than 1 September 2009[dated info], and for all other (fixed and mobile) ported calls by no later than 31
December 2012.

Prior to March 2008 it took a minimum of 5 working days to port a number in the UK compared to 2 hours
only in USA, as low as 20 minutes in the Republic of Ireland, 3 minutes in Australia and even a matter of
seconds in New Zealand. On 17 July 2007, Ofcom released its conclusions from the review of UK MNP
and mandated reduction of porting time to 2 working days with effect from 1 April 2008. On 29 November
2007, Ofcom completed its consultation on further reduction to porting time to 2 hours along with recipient
led porting and mandated that near-instant (no more than 2 hours) recipient led porting be implemented
by no later than 1 September 2009.

In a decentralised model of MNP, a FNR (Flexible Number Register) may be used to manage a database
of ported out/ported in numbers for call routing.

[edit]Number Lookup Services

Service providers and carriers who route messages and voice calls to MNP-enabled countries might use
HLR query services to find out the correct network of a mobile phone number. A number of such services
exist, which query the operator's home location register (HLR) over the SS7 signalling network in order to
determine the current network of a specified mobile phone number prior to attempted routing of
messaging or voice traffic.

Mobile number portability by country

2003.11.2
USA 0 free MNP procedure takes 2 hours.
4

Customers can port between prepay and post pay options. The master
database will be managed by a third party firm. For zone
2010.11.2
India 7 19 I, Syniverse has been appointed with the MNP and related issues
5
while for zone II, it is Telcordia. Visit TechWek for Details or read
more on How MNP works in India at Pluggd.in

German 2002.11.0 4 working EUR 2 The average price charged is about € 25. The exact amount depends
y 1 days + 2 5 on the old provider. A price limit of € 30.72 was set by
 further days the Bundesnetzagentur.

United Kingdom 1999.01.?? 2 working days + 1 calendar week Free

Adoption: 7-10% PostPaid Users To Choose MNP?

Telcos predicted that the around 0.5% -20% of mobile subscribers would chose to use mobile
number portability. Two unnamed marketing research organisations conducted surveys (one could
be AC Neilsen, survey here) predicting the porting rate will be from 10-20% for pre-paid subscription,
and upto 50% for post paid subscription. TRAI itself has estimated the porting rate to be at 10% in
the first 15 months and 7%, 6% and 5% for the successive three years.
What’s also strange about this presumption is that it appears that the TRAI expects only post-paid
consumers to use Mobile Number Portability. Keep in mind that India has entered a multi-SIM era,
with pre-paid subscribers also using multiple SIM cards. Idea Cellular had estimated India’s multiple
SIM usage as high as 20% of the subscriber base.
Keep in mind, though, that the Post-paid ARPU is believed to be substantially higher than pre-
paid, as was mentioned in the FICCI-BDA report released earlier this year:

Rules & Criteria For Applying For Mobile Number Portability In

India
India’s telecom regulator TRAI has finally announced the framework and rules of mobile number
portability, which will allow mobile users to retain their mobile number while shifting to a new cellular
service provider.
India had 456.74 million mobile connections as of August 2009and is adding 12-15 million every
month. With 13 operators, the regulations for mobile number portability at this scale had to be robust
and airtight. After inviting opinions and comments (a list of comments can be found here) from the
various stakeholders of the ecosystem, TRAI has come up with a framework that might be a little
constrictive for the consumer, but it does not go easy on the operators either.
(Updated) When will Mobile Number Portability Be Operational?

Update: Please read our post 3G Auctions & Mobile Number PortabilityIn India Delayed?

Older: Subscribers in metros and category ‘A’ service areas (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala,
Maharashtra & Goa and Andhra Pradesh) will be able to apply for mobile number portability starting
this new year’s eve. Others in B and C class cities will have to wait for 3 more months (March 20,
2010, to be precise) to be able to shift to a new network. They will be missing out on the deals and
promotions being offered in the meantime and the launch of new telco Uninor (the recently renamed
Unitech Wireless) which is expected end of year.
Criteria For Applying For MNP, 3 Month Rule
MNP facility shall be available only within a given licensed service area. So if you are moving to
another city and want to retain your mobile number, MNP is not the answer. Mobile users may only
apply for MNP if they want to switch networks in the same area where their existing mobile number
is registered.
Our Take: This reduces the relevance and convenience for a consumer – why should portability be
limited by service area? India has a migrating population of urban consumers who switch cities when
they change a job. Why not relieve them of the inconvenience of changing numbers?
The 3 Month Rule. A subscriber is eligible to make a porting request only after 90 days of the date of
activation of his mobile connection. If a number is already ported once, the number can again be
ported only after 90 days from the date of the previous porting. TRAI has explained that this
minimum period is required so as to enable the service provider to recover the customer acquisition
cost.
Our Take: There are two sides to this – in the first instance, a consumer who is dissatisfied with an
operators service in the first month itself is being forced to suffer for another two months. On the
other hand, it will prevent a situation where consumers take undue advantage of freebies from
operators as a reason for constantly switching.
Disconnected: After porting of a mobile number, if it remains disconnected for 90 days, it will be
reversed back to the number range holder (original operator).
Whom To Approach? SMS the operator to which you want to switch and ask for your unique porting
code, which is an alphanumeric code allocated upon request. Operators have been directed to set
up a mechanism (a shortcode) to receive the SMSs and respond with the unique porting code.
Subscribers will also have to give in writing their request to the operator to which they are switching
and fill up a customer acquisition form, which the operator will verify.
Operator’s Task: After verifying the porting code, identity and address of the user, the recipient
operator (which the subscriber is joining) has to forward details to the mobile number portability
service provider within 24 hours.The operator has to pay a ‘per port transaction’ charge for each
request forwarded by it to the MNP provider. They would have to examine the request carefully as
there is no provision for refund of porting charges from the MNP provider.
Download: TRAI’s Regulations For Mobile Number Portability
Price? Users will have to pay a porting charge to the operator to which you are switching. The price
has not been fixed yet and could be anywhere between Rs. 20 to Rs. 200. You will not need to pay a
penny to the operator you are leaving.
No Dues. The subscriber making the porting request should clear all the bills issued prior to the date
of porting request. He shall provide a written undertaking that he has already paid all billed dues as
on the date of the request for porting and that he shall pay dues to the operator till its eventual
porting. In the event of non-payment of any such dues to, the ported mobile number shall be liable to
be disconnected.
Prepaid Users: Upon porting of the mobile number, the balance amount of talk time at the time of
porting shall lapse.
Legal Criteria. MNP will not be permitted if there is a pending request for change of ownership of the
mobile number; if it is sub-judice and if the porting has been prohibited by a court. In case a
subscriber has not complied with exit clauses in his contractual obligations, the request can be
rejected.
Changed My Mind. A subscriber may withdraw his porting request within 24 hours of its submission.
However, the porting charges are not refundable.
Routing: Once the donor operator has disconnected the mobile number and the recipient operator
has activated it, the MNP provider allocates the corresponding Location Routing Number to the
ported number in the Number Portability Database and broadcasts the updated Location Routing
Number along with the ported mobile number to all Access Providers and International Long
Distance Operators who shall update their respective Local Number Portability Database.
Per Port Transaction Charges: Recipient operators have to pay the MNP provider per port
transaction charges on a monthly basis.
Interconnect Agreements: All existing interconnect agreements and arrangements between Access
Providers, National Long Distance Operators and
International Long Distance Operators shall stand amended so as to conform to the provisions of
these regulations as regards routing of calls to and from ported mobile numbers.
How Long Will It Take? The porting process will take a maximum time period of 4 days in all
licensed service areas except in the case of J&K, Assam and North East where the maximum time
allowed is 12 days. Weekends are excluded from this time frame.
No Service Period: The window period for disconnection and activation by operators has been kept
at one hour each, so the maximum downtime for the subscriber will be two hours.