The latest TRAI regulations will allow users to complete the transfer of numbers within the same telecommunications circle in 2 days.The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has revised the standards for Mobile Number Portability (MNP) services. With these rules, which the regulator expects service providers to implement in six months, consumers requesting the change of service providers will be evaluated before the connection is changed.
Under the latest MNP rules, introduced as the Telecommunications Mobile Number Portability Regulations (Seventh Amendment), 2018, if a user considers changing service providers, they will have to go through a query response mechanism. This will allow the mobile number portability service provider to access the details of the donor operator’s database. Once the verification process is complete, customers will receive a Unique Port Code (UPC), which can be considered to complete the port process.
This, in turn, will allow users within a particular licensed service area (intra-LSA), or telecommunications circle, to transfer their number within 2 business days. Those who would move their number from one intra-LSA to another can expect the MNP to end in 4 business days. However, these time limits will not apply if the users ports to or from the Jammu and Kashmir, Assam or North East telecommunication circles.
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TRAI’s revised rules mean that users who had to wait 15 days to transfer their numbers from one telecom circle to another would benefit greatly. Additionally, the 4 business day limit was initially set for MNP changes made within a telecommunications circle. Furthermore, this process aims to eliminate the “UPC mismatch” or “UPC expiration” problems that had been experienced with older portability regulations. Its draft standards were presented in November and have been made official after a 60-day review period.
