DoT finally invites bids for mobile number portability

After several delays, the government is finally getting on with the process of introducing mobile number portability in India, which would allow users to change their telecom operator without having to change their phone number.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has over the weekend invited bids from Indian and international companies, to be submitted by 6 February 2008. However, it has made prior experience in implementing MNP mandatory, which would obviously favour multinationals over local operators.

DoT is expected to release the list pre-qualified bidders on 16 February, and the successful bidder will be announced on 5 March. The selection of the winner will be based on the selected companies' presentations on February 23-24 on their MNP roll-out plans.

The DoT has stipulated the qualifying companies should have ported a minimum of 25 million numbers in the markets in which they currently operate. The list of pre-qualified bidders will be released on 16 February and selected companies will have to make presentations on rollout plans on 23 February and 24 February.

Two centralised operators will administer and implement this service.

If the latest timeline is followed, customers can expect to access this facility in the second half of 2009, though as per earlier announcements, MNP will be initially introduced only in the metros. By facilitating competition, MNP is expected to usher in greater focus on quality of services by the operators.

DoT has clarified to all potential bidders that the amount customers will have to pay to change their operators will be decided by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

In 2006, TRAI had recommended that consumers pay between Rs200 and Rs300 to change their service provider. But this is likely to be revised.

The government had approved MNP in late-2007 and said the facility would be introduced in the four metros by the second half of 2008. Since then, the implementation has missed several launch dates.

Number portability is available in most advanced economies, and even in Pakistan.

According to reports, its introduction has been followed by 20-50 per cent of subscribers switching operators.