Mobile number portability launch further extended to 30 June

The government has further extended the launch of mobile number portability (MNP) services to 30 June 2010 from 31 March 2010 as planned earlier. The government had, on 31 December 2009, decided to implement MNP in the whole of the country at one go, by 31 March 2010.

The deadline was extended to complete various activities by various stakeholders, so that the department of telecom (DoT) can implement MNP in a time-bound manner in January 2010.

It has now been decided to start comprehensive mobile terminated call scenario tests of voice, SMS and MMS from each operator's network - basic, mobile-GSM & CDMA and ILDOs - in one licensing area to all mobile networks within the same area and all mobile networks in all other LSAs in the country immediately.

For this, DoT has asked operators to open sufficient test numbers in each licensing area and to intimate it to MNP operators and the telecom enforcement resource and monitoring (TERM) cells. All mobile operators have also been asked to ensure smooth testing by other operators to ensure success of mobile terminated calls to their network.

The TERM cells will closely oversee the progress of call flow test by the operators and in case of non-cooperation from any of the mobile operators, the matter should be brought to notice of DoT headquarters for appropriate action for not supporting the timely launch of MNP services mandated under the Licence Agreement.

The TERM cells should send weekly progress report to DoT headquarters in this regard. The telecommunication engineering centre (TEC) is already conducting a weekly meeting to resolve technical issues, if any.

The other activities related to inter-operator test may be carried out in parallel such that all service providers complete the tests by 15 May 2010. BSNL, MTNL and Uninor, which are yet to install the MNP gateways must also start the call flow tests immediately without waiting for MNP gateways and all other tests should be carried out later expeditiously when MNP gateways are installed to meet the 15 May 2010 deadline, government said.

After the validation and operability tests like IVTs and IOTs are completed, the action taken should be offered to TERM cells by 16 May 2010. Based on successful completion of the action taken within one month, the DoT will finally decide the dates for MNP implementation, the release said.