Telecom Minister A. Raja has gone ahead and announced that MNP will be implemented by November 1st in Haryana. For the first time it seems that the date will be adhered to – however, don’t get your hopes too high as the launch will be only in some select circles.
Earlier this month, there were rumours that prior October 1st date will not be met and MNP implementation will be done only next years. It looks like that is not the case.
According to news reports, Mobile number Portability will be done in phased manner. First phase will see launch in Haryana first and then implementation will begin in 11 different circles from the second or third week of November. Implementation in these eleven circles is expected to be complete by December 20.
DoT has not yet published any road map on how and when the implementation will be done in other circles, but my guess is that it will be initially launched in smaller cities and rural areas, where telecom operators will not see too much of churning of subscribers.
Metro’s and larger cities with large mobile subscriber base may be the last to get the MNP implementation.
Given the history of delay’s in MNP implementation, I still have my doubts – but hoping for the best.
What do you think? Will MNP finally see light of the day ?
IT goes to after 1st week of January
Now the word is out. Once again it has been extended till Nov 25th.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/11/01/stories/2010110151760100.htm
New Delhi, Oct. 31
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has once again extended the deadline for implementing Mobile Number Portability, a system which allows subscribers to change their operator without having to give up their phone number.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology had earlier announced that Mobile Number Portability (MNP) will be made available to the telephone users across the country from November 1. But now it has been decided that the facility will be available from November 25, that too only in Haryana.
The new date for implementing MNP comes even though the Communication and IT Minister, Mr A. Raja, on October 26, had said that the system will be rolled out on November 1. MNP was supposed to be rolled out in the country on November 1. But the plan was changed several times. Initially, it was announced that the system will be rolled out first in the four metros and then in the rest of the country.
This plan was changed to a simultaneous national roll-out; and now it is back to a phased roll-out. The implementation date has also been extended repeatedly as some of the operators have taken time to upgrade the network to accommodate the system.
Customers in Haryana wishing to exercise the option of changing their service provider without change of number will have to send an SMS from their phone to 1900. Based on this they will get a unique porting code as SMS from the existing service provider. The customer can then make an application in the prescribed form mentioning the code to the selected new service provider for porting of 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. The subscriber will have to pay Rs 19 — the porting charge fixed by the telecom regulator. Once a subscriber moves to another operator, he cannot port his number again for three months.
“MNP service in rest of the service areas across the country will be implemented after the launch in Haryana in a phased manner. A detailed schedule for other service areas will be announced separately,” DoT said in a statement.
Waiting for that good news to hear that “No joke.its really started”.
Novemeber 1- December 20… Launching it in this period is strategic, it seems. You needn’t go thru the ordeal of buying a new SIM to change to a 3G provider in your circle. With only 3+1 BSNL 3G provider in one circle many may wish to change their service provider. MNP will come in handy.
In Vijayawada, they promised that MNP will be implimented on October 1st. However it did not happen. Though I will not be effected I was watching the news interestingly as it gives ppl an alternative when the service provider drops quality.
Now they say Nov 1st in Haryana.
What attracted me to write this comment is your statement that if at all it will first be implimented in smaller towns. I think it will be the first time, any technology in any field will be first introduced in rural areas and then it spreads to cities.