Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service will be available nationwide from tomorrow, January 20, 2010. MNP allows a mobile phone subscriber to migrate from one service provider to another without having to change his/her mobile number. It was a much awaited service, countries like U.S. have portability services for local landline phones as well.

MNP is going to be a boon for lot of people who are not satisfied with their existing service provider. With the help of MNP you need not worry about updating your friends, relatives and colleagues with your new number.Here is sneak peek into MNP service. I hope this information will be useful for all those who are looking forward to avail MNP.

Procedure for Porting Mobile Number:

• Send an SMS: PORT<space>Mobile Number (that is to be ported) to 1900 For e.g. PORT 9123456780
• You will immediately receive a message from your existing operator with a 8 digit alpha-numeric porting code. You need to fill in this code while you get a new SIM from the new operator. After it is verified you can start using services from the new operator (This code will remain valid only for 24 hours)
• New operator will move your number after consulting with your existing operator. This procedure could take maximum of 4 days.

Charges:

As per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), charges for porting mobile number from any operator can be Rs.19 or less.

FAQs related to MNP Service:

1. How long does it take for porting number from one operator to another? Porting time could be generally between 24hours to 4 days.
2. How much will it cost for Porting to another operator? As per TRAI regulations, Network Operator can charge a maximum of Rs. 19 for porting a number.
3. Who can avail MNP service? Any customer whose mobile number is older than 90 days can avail this facility. In order to switch another time he/she need to wait for another 90 days.
4. Will my number remain inactive/dead during the transfer/porting process? The porting process will take place during 10pm to 5am IST. The number will remain inactive/dead for two hours during these timings.
5. Can a post-paid number be migrated to another operator with prepaid services or vice-versa? Yes, that can be done if you clear off all your pending dues with existing operator.
6. What about my prepaid balance ? Will it be carried forward to new operator ? Sadly the answer is NO. Your existing balance will not be carried forward to the new operator.
7. Can I port my number from one circle (state) to another? No! For now, you can only switch within your existing circle. For e.g. you have a Rajasthan number and want to port to Gujarat number, it isn’t possible.
8. I have a CDMA phone, can I switch to GSM operator or vice versa? Yes! This is another great feature of MNP service. You can migrate from CDMA to GSM and vice-versa.
9. Can I shift my landline number to a mobile number? This facility is not available at present since Indian government has launched MNP only for mobile phone users. It is possible in countries like U.S., we can expect it in near future.
10. Are there any offers from the operator I am porting my number to? MNP is surely going to bring in a big change in the Indian Telecom Market. All network providers are definitely going to provide some freebies in order to lure the customers.