Wait for number portability gets longer

Mobile phone users would have to wait anywhere from three to six months for the freedom to switch operators without losing their existing number, as companies are yet to upgrade their networks. At a meeting between the Department of Telecom (DoT) and mobile service providers here on Friday, operators expressed their inability to ring in mobile number portability (MNP) from December 31, this year, as was scheduled. The facility was to come into force in the four metros — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata — to begin with. Private operators aside, even the two state-run telecom firms — BSNL and MTNL — have said they would not be able to get their networks MNP-ready by December and have indicated they may need time till March next year. A senior DoT official said MNP can be implemented only if the network is upgraded 100%. In case some of the operators are not ready with their networks on time, it will not be possible to have number portability. implemented. “Hurried implementation (without 100% upgrade of all networks) may be counter productive,” the official added. The meeting was chaired by telecom secretary P J Thomas with the operators including the PSUs, BSNL and MTNL, as well the two MNP service providers — Synverse and MNP Interconnection Telecom.