Number portability postponed to end of 2009

The mobile number portability project is one of the most ambitious and long-awaited in the telecom sector in India. But as the scheduled kick-off date of September 20 draws nearer, the Indian Government has yet again thrown a spanner into the cogs and postponed the implementation date by three months.

As usual, it seems that the reason is the cold war between the country’s two premier telecommunications bodies: the Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Following the telecom sector news for the past few years, it is apparent that the two departments silently strive for one-upmanship and are constantly on the lookout to run the other down. And that’s exactly the case here, with the common man suffering in the bargain.

On Thursday, the DoT extended the implementation date for mobile number portability (MNP) to December 31. Number portability is a facility that allows subscribers to change their mobile service provider while keeping the same number. Digit had previously reported that TRAI has issued guidelines for the same which would enable the process to be finished within a week.

The 100-day delay in the scheduled execution of MNP is attributed to operators' inability to upgrade their network as well as to the delay on part of regulator Trai to come out with tariff for the service.

The DoT released a statement saying: "The implementation of MNP is under progress. However, this required customisation and upgradation of the existing network to be capable of providing the MNP service. Certain technical and commercial issues related to it are also being resolved. All this requires considerable time and effort. Therefore, it has been decided by the Department of Telecom to extend the date of implementation of MNP in Metro Category A service areas to December 31, 2009 in the first phase.”

Metro Category A cities include the mobile circle areas of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai , Kolkata, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka.