Telcos Ordered To Complete Mobile Number Porting In 2 Days; Rs 10,000 Fine For Wrongful Rejection

On January 20th, 2010, India’s first porting of mobile number happened, which was launched by then Union Minister of Communications & IT Mr. Kapil Sibal.

Even since that, millions of mobile numbers have utilized MNP or Mobile Number Portability to change their service providers, without changing their number.

However, the process of porting in or porting out is still complicated, and time-taking. Often, the telecom operator refuses to let go of a customer, and create unnecessary hurdles and obstacles.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI has taken notice of this issue, and have issued new guidelines for all telcos, related with number portability.

What are the changes? Keep reading to find out!

Rule #1: Porting Has To Be Completed In 2 Days

In case of Intra-Licensed Service Area (Intra-LSA) or same circle porting, the process has to be completed in 2 days.

In case of Licensed Service Area (Inter-LSA) or porting between different circles, the deadline is 4 days.

This is an important change, because telcos often extend the porting process to weeks, and the user is unnecessarily hassled.

Now, every telecom operator will have to complete the porting process within maximum 4 days.

Rule #2: Rs 10,000 Fine For Wrongful Rejection, MIsinformation

TRAI observed that so-called ‘Retention Experts’ and Customer care reps of telecom operators often give wrong information to the users related to MNP (Mobile Number Portability), and also reject MNP request of flimsy grounds.

Now, no more of this will be allowed.

TRAI has declared that a fine of Rs 10,000 shall be imposed on telecom operators, in case they reject MNP request wrongfully, or give wrong information regarding porting.

In their order, TRAI said, “If any access provider or mobile number portability service provider contravenes the provisions… (it shall) be liable to pay an amount, by way of financial disincentive not exceeding Rs 10,000 for each wrongful rejection of the request for porting,”

Some more changes which were announced:

• The validity of Unique Porting Code (UPC) reduced to 4 days, from 15 days currently. This is for all Licensed Service Area (LSA) except the LSAs of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North-East, where the validity remains 15 days. This will force the telecom operators to wrap up the porting process quickly.
• For corporate porting, a single authorization letter can now accommodate 100 numbers. Earlier, it was 50 numbers
• Quality of Service parameters of all MNPSPs (Mobile Number Portability Service Providers) and Access Providers will be evaluated more closely by TRAI.