Govt delays number portability by 2 months

The government today said mobile number portability (MNP), which will allow users to change operator while retaining the number, will be delayed by two months to end of May due to security reason.

"Due to security issues MNP has been delayed by two months," Telecom Minister A Raja said on the sidelines of a function here.

This is the third time that the government would give a miss the MNP launch deadline. The service was to come into effect on December 31, 2009, which was later revised to March 31, this year.

The first deadline could not be met after several telecom companies informed the Department of Telecom (DoT) that they would require more time for upgrading their networks.

Later the government-owned telecom companies BSNL and MTNL sought time to make their network ready for implementing the service.

And now, the Home Ministry has raised security concerns about US-based Telcordia Technologies, one of the companies selected to provide solutions for laying down MNP.

The Home Ministry has raised concerns regarding Telcordia's presence in Pakistan and has sought Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance for Telcordia.

In another development, the FIPB today deferred the proposal of US-based Telcordia on Home Ministry's request.

US-based Telcordia Technologies owns 74 per cent of MNP Interconnection, one of the two MNP service providers selected by the DoT.