Mobile number portability is finally a reality. It may well be a choice between the devil and the deep sea, for all you know. What is Mobile Number Portability: It is a new development in mobile communications technology. In India there are more than 700 million mobile users. In this service the mobile user can switch to other service provider without changing the mobile numbers. Both prepaid and postpaid tele-users have the facility to switch to other favourable tele-operators. How to switch your mobile operator:
- The subscriber, who likes to avail this service, need to send a SMS from his/her mobile to 1900.
- Once the customer sends SMS, he/she will be receiving a unique porting code (UPC) from the current service provider.
- Then he/she need to fill the application in a particular format and mention the new service provider, the customer would like to subscribe for.
- The new service provider will collect the information about the user from the current operator. A time period of seven days will be taken for the complete transfer of mobile number to the network of the new mobile operator.
- As a transformation charge for the new operator the subscriber has to pay the amount of Rs 19.
- According to TRAI, it is mandatory for both the existing and the fresh operators to complete the process for number portability within four days after the first SMS.
- You can change your operator only once in every 90 days.
- Exception: The time period of transferring the MNP in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North East service areas will be 15 days but not 7 days.
Exact procedure:
- To shift, send an SMS “PORT” (the word is not case-sensitive) followed by your mobile number from your phone to 1900.
- Your service provider will reply with a unique porting code.
- Use that code while filling out a detailed form for the new service provider you want to shift to.
- Within 48 hours, your service will be activated, a nominal fee of Rs 19 will be charged for the same.
What you will need to bear with:
- Your cell number will be switched off for one hour. All bills after that, are paid to your new service provider. You’ll be stuck with them for at least 90 days before you can shift again.
- While you can shift from a GSM service to CDMA or vice versa, you cannot shift from one circle to another. If you do, roaming charges will be applied as usual.
- When you port your number, you also need to change your SIM
- For a prepaid number, carry forward of any balance to the new service provider is not permitted.
Pros and cons:
- You will have to go through the rigmarole of filling up those forms all over again. You will needs to furnish all documents like ID proof, residence proof, etc.
- The only restriction is that you can change your operator without changing your number only within your current service area.
- Suppose a subscriber, who is using a Mumbai number, can not switch to an operator in Bangalore. The subscriber can only change his/her operator within Mumbai only.
Mobile number portability helpline numbers:
- Aircel: 9802098020
- Airtel: 18001031111
- BSNL: 18001801503
- IDEA MNP Helpline: 1800-270-0000
- MTNL Mumbai: 1800221503
- TATA Docomo MNP Helpline: 1800-266-0000
- Vodafone MNP Helpline: 1800-1234567
What experts say: The implementation of MNP will hit the operating margins of service providers and those with deeper pockets would be better placed to cope up (with the new scenario), ratings agency ICRA stated. The nation wide implementation will increase churn of customers, shoot-up the customer acquisition and retention and lower the ARPUs (average revenue per user) as competitive tariff plans will have to be offered. On service quality, operators will have to focus on better customer care and network coverage while differentiated services like 3G can also swing customers towards a particular operator, ICRA added. However, mobile users are advised to think twice before switching to another tele operators as surveys have revealed that the net effect of number portability is practically negligible. Consumers are suggested to change operators better based on a perception of improvement rather than a real difference.
