GSM operators oppose changes to number portability norms

Mumbai: GSM operators, represented by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), have criticised the department of telecom's move to make significant changes in mobile number portability (MNP) norms, which will allow customers to move between GSM and CDMA services provided by the same operator.

While making changes to MNP norms last month, telecom minister A Raja also inserted a clause which said that if a subscriber is shifting from the GSM to CDMA or vice-versa within the same service provider, then the process need not be routed through a centralised agency.

The Cellular Operators Association of India, however, insists that all routing under MNP should be done through a single agency. The changes in the policy, they allege, are aimed at aiding one large CDMA operator. Tata Tele, a CDMA player, too was supporting the GSM players on this issue, COAI pointed out.

COAI said while GSM operators are not opposed to intra operator porting, this should be subject to the same guidelines and processes and also must be applicable to all operators.

Also, as per the MNP guidelines unveiled by Raja in August, all porting must be routed through two independent centralised bodies chosen by the DoT, they pointed out. Such bodies were to become Mobile Number Portability Clearing House Administrators (MCHA), who will set up the Number Portability Database (NPDB).

GSM operators say the move to allow intra operator porting before MNP involving all telcos sets in, is aimed at helping CDMA players planning to launch GSM services to move their subscribers to the new platform.

''MNP could become a tool for an operator to manipulate its own subscribers. Manipulation of subscribers could enable the service provider to misuse the system to grab additional spectrum, manipulate revenue streams for different technologies to evade spectrum usage charges creating non-level playing field and anti-competitive concerns amongst all other operators in the industry,'' the COAI communication to DoT added.