TRAI unveils draft norms for MNP
Telecom regulator Trai on Tuesday unveiled draft regulations for the implementation of mobile number portability (MNP), a facility that will allow consumers to change their telecom operator, but retain their phone number. The government had earlier said it would kick off MNP in metros and some states on September 20.
Trai has proposed that new mobile users be permitted to change their operators only after 90 days of signing up with their first service provider. It has also recommended that after changing their operator, consumers need to stay with the new telco for a minimum of 90 days. It has suggested that customers give a written undertaking to their existing service provider for switching to a new operator, which will then have to mandatorily carry out all checks, including identity verification, before the process can be completed. Trai has said the process must be completed within five days.
The regulator has also said customers, who wish to change their operators, will be charged a fee, which would be specified later after consultations with both the industry and consumer bodies. But several executives at telcos said the fee was likely to range anywhere between Rs 250 and Rs 400.
The Department of Telecom (DoT) has already appointed two companies — Syniverse Technologies and MNP Interconnect — to be the MNP service provider, manage day-to-day management and implementation, and also maintain the database of all numbers. While MNP will kick off in metros and category A circles such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat on September 20, the rest of the country will have access to this facility from March 20, 2010. Trai will finalise the MNP regulations after feedback on the draft rules from the industry and consumer organisations.
