Be MNP-ready before new services: DoT to telcos

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made it necessary for telecom operators to be ready with mobile number portability (MNP) from September 1, failing which they would not be allowed to launch commercial services.

MNP is a service that allows mobile subscribers to change their service providers without changing their numbers. After several delays, the government has fixed October 31 as the date for launching MNP services across the country.

“It has been decided by the competent authority that permission to launch commercial services in any service area with effect from September 1 shall be given only to those licensees (operators) who are MNP-compliant,” an official notification from DoT said.

Any licensee to whom permission for commercial launch of service had been granted has also to be MNP-compliant along with existing service providers, it said.

DoT said for the purpose of being MNP-ready, it may be ensured that inter-operator test for porting, as well as call scenario test, has been completed.