Mobile Number Portability, or MNP as we all know it, allows a mobile phone user

to switch to a new operator (recipient) and avail its services while still retaining his
old-operator (donor) number.

Number portability is always a state/regulatory-body implementation which keeps

accord among the network operators participating in it.

In Pakistan, all the five GSM, AMPS and landline network operators participate in
the MNP, which is as said, Government harmonized. In Pakistan, MNP system is
managed by Telcordia Technologies (a company emerging from the famous Bell
Systems Ltd.)

Yes, the word ‘System’ here indicates the existence of a physical entity or rather a
software solution linking several vital bodies. Leaving aside all the technical terms
and jargons; in most simple manner, the link architecture for a MNP-Server (as we
will call it) can be drawn as:

The server is accessible to all networks and its main functions are to maintain a
database record of the ported numbers, and to assist the networks in routing the
incoming traffic (voice and text). This is basically done by maintaining a memory
basket, technically called ‘Central DataBase (CDB)’ of the ported numbers.

Whenever a number is ported from a network to another, a set of associated

information is stored in the CDB, which is then accessible to all the other networks
as well.
To understand how MNP works, one must know what ‘Related Information’ is
transferred to the CDB when a number is ported. Not going into deep details; there
are a couple of terms that must be known i.e.

• IMSI
• MSISDN
• ICC-ID
• SIM

A SIM, as most of us know, stands for ‘Subscriber Identity Module’. Generally, it

is reflected of as a card that holds the subscriber’s mobile number. Actually it
doesn’t. SIM basically holds the IMSI (International mobile subscriber
identity). An IMSI is a 14-digit number that uniquely indicates presence of a SIM
card.

No two SIMs in the world would have the same IMSI. Your mobile number, or
MSISDN (Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network) as it is
technically known is mapped against the IMSI and the map is known by the SIM
issuing network operator. The mobile numbers we use (e.g. 0300-1234567) are
illusive by nature; a cell phone uses the IMSI to communicate with its parent
network.
ICC-ID (Integrated circuit card ID) is a 19 digit number that signifies the
physical existence of a SIM card and acts more like a product serial number. It is
hard-written and dies with the SIM. The ICC is just like the IMEI code of a mobile
instrument and is printed on back of the SIM as well.

To clear things up a bit, try to understand the scenario using an analogy:

• The ICC-ID is your NIC number. Unique for everyone. Never to be used
again for anybody else.
• IMSI is your university’s ID number/roll number.
• And the MSISDN (the phone number) is your name.

You use your name [MSISDN or the phone number] in your everyday
communication. Which by itself cant be unique, but combining it with your sir-
name and address will make it distinctive. Like your mobile number combined
with network code and country code is unique across the world.

However your university (a network you are a part of) still uses your roll number
in all the official settlements (which may or may not be accompanied with your
name). Why not the name itself? You can figure it out yourself. Other universities
(other networks) on the other hand will still use your name + sir-name + address
for referring you, not your roll number.

I shall explain it by the example of losing your SIM. If you ever had lost one, you
are issued a new SIM with your old number. The operating company simply de-
maps your MSISDN off your lost SIM’s IMSI and maps it against a new IMSI. So
you shall have a new SIM, but old number. Similar is the case with a university re-
admission case. If a student previously expelled is granted a new admission, he is
allocated a new roll number, but the name still remains the same.

Back to the MNP . . .

Now, one might predict that MNP is as simple as it looks. De-mapping the IMSI
off the donor operator’s IMSI and mapping it against the recipient’s. But the
problem is that the IMSI and MSISDN are network dependent and cant be cross
mapped.

Solution ?

The recipient operator selects an unregistered number out of its lot and dedicates it
for the incoming port. Like, if a number 0313-5559555 is to be ported out, the
recipient might select (if available) a similar looking number with its own network
code. For instance: 0331-5559555. This number co-relation information
(+923135559555 -> +923315559555) along with the new IMSI and ICC-ID is
stored in the CDB unit of the MNP-Server.

The database, as earlier stated is then accessible to all the networks so the
incoming traffic can be routed to the new number.

After the nation-wide implementation of MNP, every network first queries the
MNP-Server before establishing a call so that it can know to what number and
network the call must be routed. MNP in short, establishes a user-transparent call
divert service, but without using the donor operator’s resources.

Consider the case of number ported from operator [A] to operator [D] as explained
in figure-2. Now if a user of operator [B] will call that ported number, the call shall
be routed as shown in the figure below.
Mobile operator [B] will first query the MNP server about the status of the number
to be dialed. Since the number is ported, the server shall reply with a divert
number. The call will therefore be routed to the recipient network, the Operator
[D].

In case a called number is not ported, the MNP server shall not respond an
affirmative nod, and normal call routing shall take place.

The constitution of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) supervisory board

and election of its Chairman is a landmark in the history of development of
cellular mobile phone industry in Pakistan. Under the chairmanship of Mr.
Tore, the Board would work professionally and reach to an acceptable
solution. It would help the implementation of MNP according to the
schedule. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) would facilitate the
Board in its pursuit to make it convenient to implement the MNP in the
given period?; this was said by Chairman PTA, Maj Gen �® Shahzada
Alam Malik, while addressing the participants of the second MNP meeting.

Mobile Number Portability or MNP" is an ability to retain an existing mobile

Subscriber number along with Operator code while shifting connectivity
from one Operator to another Operator; in general it is a circuit-switch
network service provided by the Cellular or Fixed Line Operators to the
consumers with the ability to change service providers, locations, or service
types without changing their telephone numbers.

Pakistan Telecommunications (Re-organization) Act, 1996 provides that

the PTA ?shall promote and protect the interests of users of
telecommunication services in Pakistan; promote the availability of a wide
range of high quality, efficient, cost effective and competitive
telecommunication services throughout Pakistan; (and) promote rapid
modernization of telecommunication systems and telecommunication
services.? These provisions mandate the competition in all aspects of the
telecommunications industry.

To realize this long awaited consumer commitment the federal government

declared the first ever Mobile Cellular Policy (January 28, 2004) of
Pakistan, which provided that ?A major drawback to switching mobile
operators is that, at present, customers need to change their mobile
telephone numbers. In order to establish market conditions that provide
maximum choice, consumers should be able to switch operators in order to
take advantage of attractive service offerings, lower prices or improved
quality???????. To provide flexibility to consumers, all mobile licensees
shall implement number portability, according to the PTA?s requirements
and guidelines.?

There have been around than 30 implementations of MNP around the

world, and at least 20 more are on the agenda within the next couple of
years. PTA sees MNP as an effective and necessary way to maximize
competition and consumer choice of telecom services. It has taken a
minimalist approach to directly regulate the MNP and has encouraged
operators to agree on as many issues as possible regarding the practical
implementation of it. PTA recently initiated consultation on cellular number
portability and devising regulations for it, deferring a decision on
geographic portability and services portability implementation apart from
fixed-line (Fixed-line Local Loop and Wireless Local Loop Telecom
Services) number portability. Apart from other aspects emerging from the
Policy etc. this may also be because at the moment it is only in the license
of CMTO?s that they ?shall implement Mobile Number Portability within 2
years from the Effective Date according to the regulations / guidelines
issued by the Authority from time to time. The Authority shall prepare the
Regulations in consultation with Cellular Mobile Operators.?

All the six cellular mobile operators have formed a Supervisory Board or a
Numbering Council chaired by the Telenor CEO Mr. Tore Johnsen and a
representative from PTA to implement Mobile Number Portability (MNP) by
2006 with the help of PTA, which is an independent legal entity where all
CMTOs shall collectively own, fund and supervise the centralized database
operation to be known as the Central Database Administration (CDBA),
Which bears the full financial accountability for the creation and ongoing
operation of the CDBA and ensure that good governance prevails, and
which undertakes full responsibility for the overall governance and
financing of the CDBA on behalf of all Operators and Subscribers.
Implementing MNP is a simple affair. A number of issues have to be
considered, such as: Technical solutions for number queries and call
routing ; Processes regarding the porting itself; Regulatory aspects
concerning protection of consumer rights Economic aspects concerning
implementation costs, running costs, increased interconnection costs and
other extra costs for routing calls to ported numbers.

The PTA has instructed the Supervisory Board to determine which number
portability method to employ. Several routing methods are being
investigated what is essential is that all Operators need to negotiate ,
develop and maintain a technically viable methodology in terms of network
codes for authorization for access to the database and Subscriber number
routing information prior to the implementation time schedule of MNP.

As a technical solution MNP implementation relied on individual routing and

distributed databases this was because network technology could not
support advanced IN solutions, and centralized databases were costly to
execute. Recent implementations have discovered more routing-efficient
solutions such as centralized databases to ensure higher efficiency for both
porting processes and number queries, the Location Routing Number
(LRN) method has also appeared to be the most efficient method for both
porting processes and number queries and is successfully implemented.
In the number portability process the administrative procedures and
administrative interfaces between Operators are defined at commercially
agreed upon terms. The numbers that can be ported include, without
exception, all numbers for which a written agreement or reservation exists.
The Subscriber shall reactivate the mobile number at the Donor Operator,
and then activate the porting, with the Recipient Operator providing this is
done within the retention time frame. The Recipient Operator shall inform
all other Operators of the mobile number's, at completion time of a porting,
the new/actual information for routing, charging, single access code and
SPC by ensuring this data is recorded at the CDBA. All Subsequent
portability shall be handled in the same manner as the first time. The
current Operator shall become the Donor Operator and the new Operator
becomes the Recipient Operator. If a Subscriber wants to return to the
previous Operator, the order shall be handled like a standard porting order.
There shall be no difference even if the Recipient Operator was the original
Number Range holder. If, for any reason, the Subscriber wants to end his
Subscriber relationship with his current Operator, the current Operator
handles this as a termination in his administrative and technical systems
and shall reset the status of the number in question to 'not in service' or
'ceased'. At the expiration of the Retention or Quarantine period the
Subscriber Number shall revert to the original Range Holder.

As mentioned, number portability is the ability of end users to change

service providers, locations, or service types without changing their mobile
numbers and their preface codes. The PTA does require that MNP should
be ?transparent? to consumers ? meaning remote callers should
automatically be connected to ported subscribers, requiring no procedural
or dialing changes to the originating caller. It also supports Central
Database for IT porting, i.e., the database holding all relevant details
regarding all mobile Subscriber number ranges for all CMTOs together with
the history of any porting activity for any particular Subscriber number and
should be available for port inquiries, recording porting request status, and
for providing specific statistical information.

The exchange of telephone data, as well as the maintenance of the

integrity and content of the data, between the database administration and
Operators participating in MNP could be managed effectively. The MNP
order data exchanged between Operators in connection with implementation of
MNP also shall only be used to perform the function of MNP. The issues the
Operators may consider as they ramp up for full porting implementation
include: inter-company testing; telephone directory listings for customers
who opt to switch their services from one operator to an other service
provider and wish to publish directory information; troubleshooting;
interconnection agreements; cost recovery and bill reconciliation, as well as
the Inter-carrier Communications pre-porting process.

Conclusion
Approximately 500,000 numbers are porting each month around the world.
One can expect this number to grow in the future as the right to change
operator while keeping the same code with same number without loosing
the contacts is being introduced rapidly in developing countries and more
such activities are taking place around the world.
It seems evident that MNP, if adopted in the right way and under the right
market conditions with true spirit, has the effect of furthering competition
and providing cheaper services for mobile customers. Although, the initial
pace of number portability might affect the existing mobile operators
particularly Mobilink and Ufone, in the 11 urban statistical areas, i.e.,
Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi,
Islamabad, Peshawar, Noshera, and Mardan; but the better quality with
variety of services at affordable rates strategy might works to rescue their
existing customer base and might increase it further.Hence, the MNP?s
ability to change market dynamics should not be underestimated in the new
environment.

Number portability would provide an opportunity to the consumers to

change the Operator (s), while maintaining the same code and same
number, if service provider is unable to offer its customers variety of more
competitive services, with better quality and at affordable rates, definitely
the targets of an Operator for attracting a huge number of subscribers
would remain unmet and consequent loss of a subscriber base to it.

It is envisaged that the following would be adhered to ensure smooth

implementation of MNP for the end-user and both Donor and Recipient
Operators and to ensure a well-functioning of number portability
environment:

(a) a Donor Operator would not prevent a porting from being

completed that has already commenced by using rejection codes;
 (b) legally binding agreements between an Operator and a
Subscriber / user would be respected and followed in letter and
spirit;

(c) all operators would maintain Subscriber services as well as

quality of network performance parameters while providing cellular
mobile telecommunication services to its Subscriber;

(d) all Operators apart from other things would compile records
and the information regarding ported Subscribers to/from its
network, which includes: the failure rate of porting process;
average duration of porting process and

(e) additional call setup delay time on average calculated by

calling ported Subscribers;

(f) all Operators would be capable to provide all

telecommunications services to the ported Subscribers and shall
upgrade their network in a manner to support MNP as per the
ITU-T recommendations and other standardization bureaus.

Mobile Number Portability (MNP):

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) means the porting of mobile number. In simple
language, you can change your present mobile service operator to a new one, but
your present mobile number will remain the same. Thus your mobile number will
not change in spite of the change of the service provider of your choice.

Implementation of MNP in India

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) had to be launched in India in the end of year
2009. But its implementation was deferred for several times for over two years due
to lack of preparations of mobile operators to appoint agency to look-over MNP
execution. However, finally this consumer friendly service was launched in India
on 25th November, 2010 in the state of Haryana in Rohtak city by the union
communication minister Kapil Sibal and chief minister of Haryana, Bhupinder
Singh Hooda.

Process to change the mobile number

To study about the complete process to change the mobile number with the help of
an easy example, please visit the web page at Process to change your mobile
operator under MNP

Benefits of Mobile Number Portability (MNP):

• You can shift your old mobile service provider to new better mobile service
portability, keeping your mobile number unchanged. Thus, you need not to inform
your friends and relatives about any change in your number. This is of great benefit
to businessmen and professionals where they may have to suffer losses due to
change in mobile number.
• The porting transaction charge is very low, just Rs. 19. Thus it is quite affordable.
• The formalities involved in MNP are quite nominal. You have to just send a SMS
followed by the filling up of customer application form for MNP.
• The mobile gets dead for a maximum of 2 hours before porting to a new mobile
operator. But this range of 2 hours will be in the time range of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.,
thus minimizing the risk of any loss to the subscriber to the bottom most level.
• The whole process of switching mobile operators will take of maximum number
of seven days only.
• A spirit of competition will run in telecom operators to provide quality service to
the people at cheapest rates. This will provide huge benefit to the subscribers.
• There are approximately 700 million mobile users countrywide with about 10
operators in each circle. Thus MNP is going to prove a great benefit to them.
• Service providers are planning to offer some introductory attractive tariff plans to
lure the subscribers is that they switch to them. Value added services at high speed
may also be offered to the new customers.
• New mobile service providers will have to do efforts to establish their feet in the
market. They can shine their self just by offering attractive tariff plans with quality
service to their customers.

Negative impacts of MNP :

• Undoubtedly, MNP is going to be proven a big part of mobile revolution in India.

But it is also going to bring higher marketing expenses for mobile operators
followed by lower profits.
• In present time, mobile phone and Sim card are important tools during any
criminal investigation. This helps police in investigating the owner of Sim card
(who can be criminal). MNP could be a headache to police department because the
criminals can misuse the portability duration of 90 days.
• In India, 80% of mobile users are prepaid mobile users. A thorny disadvantage of
MNP is that you lose all your remaining balance in your prepaid account on
porting to new number.
• Another aspect of mobile number portability is that it may prove to be
insignificant in India as churn rate in India is already very high. Mobile users are
very accustomed to switch to other operator and change their mobile number. So
subscribers many not bother to go through the formalities of MNP. Use of multi
Sim mobile handsets may also contribute in this reason. However, still the chances
of this impact are very low.

Zones and vendors for Mobile Number Portability (MNP):

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has declared two Mobile Number Portability
vendors across the country and the area of working of these vendors is divided into
zones. Thus there are two zones in India.