TRAI Issues Draft Regulations on Mobile Number Portability

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued draft Regulations to facilitate Mobile Number Portability (MNP) implementation in India. The draft regulations lay down the business process for implementing mobile number portability. The Authority had recommended implementation of MNP in the whole country in a phased manner, starting from Metros and A category service areas followed by B and C category service areas.

The DoT had communicated its acceptance to the Authority’s recommendations on 10th December 2007. DoT had also accepted the suggestion of TRAI that a Steering Committee be formed under the aegis of TRAI, to deliberate upon various issues involved in the implementation of MNP in the country. Accordingly, the TRAI constituted a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from TEC, Service Providers and their Associations.

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Based on the report of the Steering Committee and decision of the Authority, a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) was prepared and submitted to DoT for initiating the process for selection of MNP operator. Subsequently, the DOT issued guidelines for MNP service license on 1st August 2008. The DoT guidelines envisaged geographical division of the country into two Number Portability Zones (zone 1 & zone 2), each consisting of 11 licensed service areas. Subsequently, one operator in each zone was selected based on the selection parameters set in the guidelines for MNP service license.

The DoT has granted license to these MNP service providers on 20th March, 2009 and TRAI is formulating business process for implementation of MNP in the country.

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