Our Key Takeaways: Seven Years of Mobile Number Portability (MNP)

RTIwala Trending: The Mobile Number Portability or MNP, in the Indian mobile market, is a challenging game in the telecom domain. But there is a lot to think and ponder over the consequences of the same. And here we tell you the ‘How’, ‘What & ‘Why’s of it….

[amazon_link asins=’B071HWTHPH,B077PWJQ57,B01NAKU5HE,B0784BZ5VY,B0756Z242J’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’wwwrtiwalain-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’dc3ca23c-fd58-11e7-83d5-d944a26b494b’]

What are Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and its launch pad?

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) became the talk of the town since the Department of Telecom (DoT) has made it a mandate for the telecom operators to roll out nationwide. Mobile Number Portability means a customer (an end user) can retain their cell number while changing the network service provider. In simple words, a mobile user can retain their mobile number by changing from one mobile network carrier to another.

Also Read: Most Expensive Mobile Phones gifted to Ministers and Govt Officials

Mobile Number Portability was one of the most awaited technologies in India and was finally launched on 20th January in 2011. Haryana was the first state to try this out and launched it in27th November 2010 for testing purpose.

How MNP can be made functional and its pros and cons?

It is very easy to operate for MNP we need to follow steps:

1. Send SMS – PORT < Your Mobile Number> To 1900
2. You will receive a Unique Porting Code (UPC) from 1901
3. Now get to the network operator whose service you require, fill a form, provide UPC and submit the form.
4. Within seven days, your number will get ported to the new operator

Advantages of MNP technology:

1. One can port the mobile number even if the UPC get expires by sending the same SMS again.
2. There is no limit to port the mobile number as much time as one wants to. But one needs to complete 90 days with the new operator after porting.
3. Both prepaid and postpaid subscribers can take advantage of MNP.
4. One can also make a shift from CDMA to GSM or vice versa in MNP, one should have supported, mobile for that.
5. Also one can do cancellation of the MNP request within 24 hours from the time requested for MNP request, with a written application.

Basic drawbacks of the MNP are as follows:

1. One cannot transfer the current prepaid balance to the new operator.
2. One cannot port the number from one state to another; it needs to be done within the same circle.
3. One cannot transfer the number to the other person’s name during the process of MNP.
4. One will not get a refund fee after making the cancellation of MNP request.

Let’s figure out some lesser known facts about Mobile Number Portability:

1] It is the combined effort of Ministry of Communication, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Telecom Industry that nationwide MNP finally got launched

2] Airtel network service provider stands to be the first in the rank, followed by Vodafone, Reliance, Idea, Tata Docomo, Aircel and even government-run BSNL has also rolled out.

[amazon_link asins=’B071HWTHPH,B077PWJQ57,B01NAKU5HE,B0784BZ5VY,B0756Z242J’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’wwwrtiwalain-21′ marketplace=’IN’ link_id=’dc3ca23c-fd58-11e7-83d5-d944a26b494b’]

3] MNP stands out beneficial nationwide for all subscribers the only exceptions are northeastern parts of India and the province of Jammu and Kashmir because of security reasons.

Also Read: The Times and Tales of a Multinational IT Giant

4] Around 3.17 million subscribers requested for intra-circle mobile number portability (MNP) and customers will now have much more facilities because of the increasing competition between the telecom providers.

5] Customers will now have the facility to shift between the states and circles, without having to change the number.

6] With MNP, the process of transferring a mobile number from one operator to another would involve a temporary break in service when the number is detached from one provider and added to another. As per TRAI, this period should not be more than two hours.

7] After porting, if the mobile number remains disconnected for 90 days, it will be reversed back to the original operator.

Mobile Number Portability simply allows us to move Networks and keep our cell phone number retain. It is a great way of chasing deals and ensuring that one doesn’t lose the precious cell phone number.