India today ushered in Mobile Number Portability that will allow cellphone users to switch operators without changing numbers, with Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal launching the service in Haryana.
The rest of India would get to use MNP from January 20, next year.
The consumer friendly service was mooted over two years ago and was planned to be implemented by end of 2009.
However, implementation had to be deferred several times owing to reasons ranging from lack of preparedness of operators to delay in appointment of an agency to oversee MNP execution.
MNP would bring in a much required change in the quality of services as well as attitude of the operators towards redressal of grievances in order to retain subscribers.
As per the eligibility criteria, there should not be any outstanding payment by way of pending bills before customers can apply for availing of MNP services, the Department of Telecom (DoT) said.
It also said that the mobile number sought to be ported should not be subjudice and also there should not be pending request for change of ownership of the mobile number.
The DoT has claimed that the entire process of switching operators would take a maximum of seven days and subscribers may face disruption of services for about two hours during that period.
The one-time charge that needs to be paid by subscribers would depend on operator-to-operator, but the charge cannot exceed Rs 19.
Any mobile subscriber must have used the number for at least 90 days before availing of MNP service.
India has more than 700 million subscribers across the country with nearly 10 operators in each circle.
