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From May 3, mobile telephone users will be able to retain their numbers while changing service providers across the country. Currently, mobile number portability (MNP) allows users to change their service provider while retaining the numbers within a telecom circle. From May 3, this will be so in all circles.
The department of telecommunications had on November 3 issued amendments to the MNP licence agreement, stating it had to be implemented across the country within six months.
Experts say this will benefit 15-20 per cent of the 940 million users who use roaming services to keep their mobile numbers. However, the Cellular Operators Association of India says only two per cent of users will be impacted. Rajan Mathews, its director-general, said: “There have been only a few takers of MNP since its launch.”
According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, in December 2014, 3.49 million subscribers gave requests for MNP. With this, the cumulative requests increased from 139.49 million at the end of November to 142.98 million at the end of December. In MNP Zone-I (North and West India), the highest number of requests till date were received in Rajasthan (13.9 million), followed by Gujarat (11.75 million). In MNP Zone-II, of South and East India, the highest number of requests till date have come from Karnataka (16.26 million), followed by Andhra Pradesh (13.53 million).
Hemant Joshi, partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells, said, “While this is an excellent move from the consumer perspective, it could lead to a higher customer churn rate for smaller players. Pan-India players would benefit as a customer might retain the operator when moving from one circle to another.”
