Mobile number portability delayed to 25 November

After earlier deadlines for the implementation of the much-awaited mobile number portability (MNP) have come and gone, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) now says it will roll out the service, which allows users to change their telecom operator while retaining their old number, from 25 November, instead of 1 November.

To begin with, the service will be introduced in Haryana. The service will be implemented in the rest of the country in a phased manner, a DoT press release said, without explaining why that state has been chosen over bigger markets like Mumbai and Delhi for the launch.

"The countrywide launch of MNP services will start from Haryana Licensed Service Area on November 25, 2010. From this date customers in Haryana will have the option of changing their service provider without changing their mobile numbers," the communiqué said.

The department had earlier announced that MNP will be made available to the telephone users from 1 November (See: Mobile number portability from 1 November), but delayed it to give time to the service providers to "upgrade their network and other resources", it added.

"The networks are now technically ready for launch of service. To facilitate an orderly and reliable introduction of MNP services, a suitable migration plan has been evolved in consultation with Mobile Service Providers (MSPs)," the release said.

Customers who wish to use the service will need to send an SMS to the number 1900. After getting a 'porting code', the customer has to make an application for porting of the number. A period of four days has been prescribed for completion of porting (transfer) of the mobile number to the network of the new service provider.