02/07/2015
Nationwide mobile number portability from July 3
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Mobile number portability (MNP) is all set to go nationwide, starting July 3.
According to a report in Hindu quoting Rakesh Garg, chairman, telecom commission and secretary, Department of Telecommunications, mobile service providers will roll out on July 3. MNP allows mobile subscribers to retain their existing mobile phone number even when they change service provider.
At present, mobile subscribers can switch their service provider within the same telecom circle. The pan-India MNP will allow customers to keep their existing mobile phone numbers while shifting between States and circles.
The earlier deadline (May 3) to roll out full MNP was delayed by two months after the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) sought extension from DoT as telecom operators needed to make some technical changes to their networks to implement the service.
Announcing its readiness, country's No. 1, telecommunications service provider, Bharti Airtel, said in a statement, "With our complete readiness to launch national mobile mumber portability, we aim to empower customers enabling them to retain this identity as they move across anywhere in the country."
The company has also introduced other services such as faster processing porting requests, free incoming on roaming, balance transfers and carry forward options, which mark as the country's firsts.
