TRAI to revamp mobile number portability rules

Changes in MNP rules will allow mobile phone users to retain their numbers and telecom service provider while moving cities in a faster and simpler way. “Consumers should not be subjected to hassles, and it (process) should not take two weeks (to port),” Sharma said.

Stressing on promoting a customer-friendly process, the chief regulator added that in the absence of any specific issues, a mobile number should be instantaneously ported to another telecom.

Mobile number portability has met with reasonable success in India where connectivity is still poor and call drops frequent, particularly in metros. Even in areas where old, established companies claim to have high-speed 4G services, it is the 2G signal that is mostly available.

According to data available on TRAI website, a total of 7.43 million requests were received for mobile number portability during December last year. With this, such requests cumulatively increased to 338.41 million since intra-service area mobile number portability was implemented first in Haryana in November 2010. Inter-service area portability was effected in July 2015. There are 22 service areas or circles in the country.

In January, TRAI had cut down the porting fee to Rs 4 from Rs 19, after a review of such charge.

Statistics from the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) that represents Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India, Idea Cellular and Reliance Jio, revealed that there was a steep increase in annual MNP requests to 64 million in 2017 from nearly 6.5 million in 2011.

A steep rise in MNP requests stems from the closing down of carriers such as Reliance Communications and Aircel, leaving only the MNP route open for their customers.