Cell users can change telcos for Rs 19 only

Mobile users who want to change their service providers while retaining their old number under the mobile number portability (MNP) feature will have to pay a maximum of just Rs 19 for availing the service. It would be introduced from December 31 in metros and by March next year in the rest of the country.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said in a statement that operators are free to charge any amount less than or equal to Rs 19, the ‘porting charge’.

To port a number, a subscriber would have to request the new operator for acceptance of his connection and the process would have to be completed in four days. MNP would help in increasing competition between service providers, besides acting as a catalyst for them to improve quality of service, Trai said.

Analysts expect MNP to force operators to lure and retain subscribers with various incentives and schemes.

According to industry estimates, about 25 per cent of current mobile users would opt for a shift to a new service provider.

There are about 450 million mobile subscribers across the country. MNP has been implemented in countries such as the US, Australia and Pakistan.

The per-port transaction charge would also be Rs 19, which would be the charge a recipient operator would have to pay to the MNP service provider for processing the porting request.

The dipping charge has been left to mutual negotiation between the telecom service providers and the respective MNP service providers. This is the charge payable by an International Long Distance operator to the MNP service provider for dipping of each message.