RCom and Tata Teleservices are the top net losers of subscribers under mobile number portability (MNP) services.
Seeks clarification on a few issues such as enhancement of entry fee and performance bank guarantee from telecom regulator
In November last year, Communications Minister A Raja had announced the implementation of MNP, which permits users to change the operator without giving up their existing mobile number, by the fourth quarter of 2008. "The department of telecommunications has to form a consortium of operators, which, in turn, has to set up a central database of operators and their subscribers. "This is a long-drawn process," an official in the government pointed out.
As per the service licence, three types of charges, including Per Port Transaction charge, which means the charge payable by the Recipient Operator (the operator, where the subscriber is willing to port his number) to the MNP service provider for processing the request, are applicable in case of MNP. The second charge is porting charge -- the charge payable by the subscriber for porting his number -- and the third is dipping charge.
Telecom service provider Reliance Communications is close to awarding a contract for implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) integration across its network to eight global telecom companies. The deal is estimated to be worth Rs 700-800 crore. The eight are Tekelec, HP, Intec, Huawei, ZTE, Ericsson, Lucent and Radio Telecom.
The Department of Telecom and the Intelligence Bureau are working together on the final MNP guidelines to ensure seamless tracking of mobile numbers by security agencies.
Mobile number portability service allows subscribers switch to another service provider or from one technology to another while retaining their mobile number.
TRAI had recommended that MNP be brought in from April this year but the government or DoT or Maran has turned it down
Further, pan-India readiness is required for the proper implementation of call routing, according to the service providers who had met DoT officials recently. The operators also mentioned that due to delay in completion of various activities, it would be difficult to meet the timelines for MNP implementation.
Earlier this month, the department of telecommunication had said that MNP that will allow users to switch providers without changing their phone number was likely to be launched by June 30, 2010.
Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications said on Tuesday the government's move to introduce mobile number portability would help GSM players Aircel, Idea and Spice as they enter new circles. The government had on Monday announced that the mobile number portability, under which users would be able to switch operators while retaining their existing cell phone numbers, would be allowed by next year.
Yamaha expects its first EVs to hit showrooms by the last quarter of FY26 (January - March), once network readiness is complete.
Sector regulator Trai on Tuesday directed telecom operators to "immediately" enable port out SMS facility for all mobile users requiring it, irrespective of value of their tariff offer, vouchers, or plans they have opted for. Trai's stern missive on smooth network portability, assumes significance as Reliance Jio had recently written to the regulator complaining that the new tariff structure of Vodafone Idea (VIL) allegedly restricts entry-level customers to port out their mobile number from its network. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has taken a strong note of telecom service companies not providing outgoing SMS facility in certain prepaid vouchers.
Trai plans to allow consumers to change operators without changing set-top box
Across all sectors, the future of work depends on adaptability.
While the government is planning to introduce mobile number portability (MNP) in metros in the near future, preliminary developments suggest the subscribers and service providers will share the Rs 200 cost of every such portability operation.
The group of home-grown handset manufacturers, who had tasted success with dual-SIM phones, had initially put up an opposition to the introduction of number portability, wary of losing out on business under the new regime.
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) has crossed a landmark figure of 100 million with 11 per cent of the total mobile subscribers exercising this facility till date.
Losing subscribers for the fourth straight month, Reliance Jio witnessed 3.76 million users leave the telecom operator in October, data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) showed on Monday. Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel reversed three months of decline, and added 1.92 million users, indicating it has overcome the impact of the broad-based tariff hikes imposed by private sector telcos in July.
However, portability services, which were earlier expected to be launched by the end of the year in the four metros -- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai -- as well as Tamil Nadu, have now been delayed till February or March 2009 (the DoT has said that it will start operations six months after the licence is granted).
MNP is expected to help in increasing competition between service providers, besides acting as a catalyst for the providers to improve their quality of service.
A disagreement between mobile operators and device manufacturers over e-SIMs has reached the government with the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) asking the DoT to order handset manufacturers to introduce eSIMs, in addition to the physical SIM slot, in all smartphones costing over Rs 10,000. The reason is the unprecedented global shortage of semiconductors which has severely impacted the supply of SIM cards across the globe and pushed up the price by four to five times. The shortage is not likely to improve before 2024.
Reliance Jio's major subscriber losses continued for the third straight month with 7.96 million users leaving the telecom operator in September, even as the state-owned BSNL stood out as the lone gainer, data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) showed on Thursday. Market leader Jio's subscriber loss has continued since July when the three private telecom operators - Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) - brought in a broad-based hike in tariffs.
Mobile subscribers from May 3 will be able to port their numbers anywhere in the country.
The CDMA and GSM operators in the country are at loggerheads once again, this time over the implementation of mobile number portability.
Reliance Jio test launched its services last December, but dates for commercial launch has not been announced.
Vice president and CEO Sanjay Kasturia talks about the initial trends in mobile number portability, launched all across India on January 20, and other issues in an interview with Mansi Taneja.
The government on Wednesday imposed a condition on telcos that only those, who are ready with Mobile Number Portability, would be allowed to start new operations, a move that may restrict or delay launch of new services, including 3G.
Recently, the department of telecom said the country is likely to launch mobile number portability services -- which allows users to switch operators without changing their phone numbers -- by June 30.
Jio says it has completed mobile number portability testing and is certified MNP-compliant
After continuously bleeding subscribers for nearly two years, state-owned telecom services provider BSNL added 2.9 million users in July when its private-sector rivals raised tariffs by nearly 20 per cent. With BSNL keeping tariffs unchanged, many subscribers using entry-level plans shifted from Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi), said analysts.
Customers will have to pay a maximum of Rs 19 to an operator to change their network.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has proposed to simplify the country's telecom landscape. It has suggested one tariff for each licence holder across the country, all-India mobile number portability and doing away with roaming charges.
The network cost per tower of Reliance Jio is lower than its rival Bharti Airtel even as the gap between them is narrowing due to the latter cutting costs at a faster pace, analysts said. While the energy cost per tower for both telcos is reducing, Airtel has managed to reduce costs at a faster pace, brokerage firm IIFL Securities said in a research note. "Jio used to enjoy 35 per cent lower network cost per tower, including the right of use (RoU) depreciation and lease finance cost, versus Bharti four years back. This gap has now (FY24) narrowed to 7 per cent," it said.
BSNL is taking various initiatives to improve its services and add more customers.
Three days ahead of the launch of Mobile Number Portability, Aditya Birla group firm Idea Cellular on Monday started a helpline to guide over 700 million mobile users on various aspects of the service.
MNP allows a subscriber to change his or her service provider without changing the mobile number.
Idea, the country's sixth-largest mobile operator was the biggest gainer in the first eight days of mobile number portability (MNP) being launched across the country.
As per the data reported by the service providers to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, by the end of February 2011, about 38.33 lakh (3.83 million) subscribers have submitted their requests to different service providers for porting (shifting) their mobile number.
The idea is to save customers the inconvenience of opening and closing bank accounts or keeping multiple accounts if they have to shift to a new location or find their bank's services unsatisfactory.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances