With millions of users porting out every month and telecom operators exiting one after another, lately, MNP (Mobile Number Portability) has been at the forefront. TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) is planning to reduce the processing time taken to switch from one network to another. Under the new MNP guidelines, the entire process will be simpler, faster and easier for users.
Users can now port out to a new network faster and in a more simplified process. The regulatory body has already started work on the new guidelines, and will soon initiate a review of the existing Mobile Number Portability (MNP) mechanism.
Very recently the regulator slashed the MNP charges by almost one-fifth of the existing ceiling of Rs. 19 to just Rs. 4 a number.
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Following The Global Procedure
In India, if you wish to switch to another network without changing your mobile number, the process takes around seven to eight days, but globally the portability process gets completed in just a matter of hours.
Under the MNP procedure proposed by TRAI, the entire MNP process can be made faster, simpler and easy for the subscribers. For troubled users, the new MNP process will help them to port out from an existing network to a newer network within a very short span of time.
Intra-Telecom Complications
The MNP process takes up time due to lack of proper communication between the telecom companies. Though, there are situations when an existing service provider refuses to port out the number under some circumstance, despite all the dues being cleared and all formalities being completed.
Due to this lack of assistance, it adds up to the total time of the procedure. But, if the user complains to TRAI then the body takes appropriate action and penalises the offender accordingly.
But, this is not enough. Most of the users are unaware of how to complain and whom to approach in such a situation. The consultation paper will also review such intra-telecom complications and would seek to get feedback on how the regulatory body will deal in the future with such occurrences.
How The Present MNP Process Works?
Currently, the porting process costs Rs 4/- and you need to clear all your existing dues before you can port out to a new operator.
Step 1
Send an SMS with PORT written in the body followed by your 10-digit mobile number to 1900.
Step 2
You will receive an SMS from TRAI with a Port-Out code.
Step 3
Visit your telecom’s nearest store, share the code, provide the details (Aadhar Card is preferred) and get the new SIM.
Step 4
You wait till the new SIM is activated, which may take up to seven working days. Until then, you can keep using your old SIM.
The Mobile Number Portability has been reasonably successful in the past few years. The connectivity and internet are still poor at several places and call drops are frequent, particularly in semi-urban areas. Even though some operators claim to have a widespread high-speed 4G network all over, the ground reality is different.
With operators like Reliance Communications, Tata Docomo and Aircel shutting down their networks, several subscribers have faced issues while porting out. A total of 338.41 million ports have taken place since MNP was introduced first in November 2010.