What is mobile number portability (MNP)? Know how one can change his Mobile Company without changing mobile number?

What is mobile number portability (MNP)?
Know how one can change his Mobile Company without changing mobile number?

What is mobile number portability (MNP)?

The mobile number portability (MNP) service is set to start in Haryana from today.

Mobile users will have the option of changing their service provider without changing their mobile numbers.

Mobile number portability (MNP) is the process of transferring (porting) your mobile phone number from one mobile phone network [that is mobile company] provider to another mobile phone company.


In this process customer does not lose his mobile phone number, only his mobile company is changed.

This is beneficial as we do not need to change our phone number
This way if you are unsatisfied with your mobile company one can easily change the mobile company and keep the same phone number.

In USA MNP started on 24 – 11 – 2003
Shifting time – Just 2 hours
MNP service Free -

Australia MNP started on 25-09-2001
Shifting time - 1 day
MNP service is free.

Now in India this MNP service is started in Haryana only
Still it is not available in other states.

This service will be started in other states in phased manner.
It is expected that Up to March – April 2011 MNP service will start all over India.

India has been divided into two zones with Syniverse Technologies managing Zone 1 comprising of North and West while an Indo-US joint venture called MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions India Pvt Ltd handling Zone 2 comprising of South and East.

For now, MNP will be allowed only within circles.
Both pre-paid and post-paid consumers can use MNP.

The customer has to pay a maximum of Rs. 19 to new operator to change network and the new operator has the option to waive off the fee

But the minimum stay period with one operator for consumer is three months.

Post-paid subscribers – Last bill payment should not be pending it must be paid only then he can change the mobile company.

In the case of pre-paid subscriber any balance amount left will not be carried forward when the number is transferred to the new service provider.

Understand again your balance amount will not carried forward, so before changing the mobile phone number finish the balance amount and then make change in the mobile phone number.

Maximum time for porting or changing mobile phone company will be 7 days.
Except in Jammu & Kashmir, Assam and North East licensed service areas, wherein it would be 15 working days

How customer can change his mobile phone company, mobile network?

1.Send an SMS from their phone to 1900

2.Send an SMS to 1900 in following format: PORT - eg. PORT 9999999999.

3.After this customer will get unique porting code as SMS from the existing service provider.

4.The customer can then make an application in the prescribed form mentioning the code to the selected new service provider for porting of number.

5.The new service provider will then take action to get the required processes completed to enable the subscriber get connected to his network.

6.MNP request can be cancelled within 24 hours

7.A period of seven days has been prescribed for completion of porting (transfer) of the mobile number to the network of the new service provider.

8.Rules mandate that process be completed within 4 days of applying, few sites mentioned 7 days.

9.Post-paid subscribers, before making the porting request, have to make sure that their last bill has been paid failing which the request for change to new service provider shall be rejected.

10.TRAI has fixed a ceiling of Rs 19 on porting charges which the new service provider may collect from the subscriber.

11.After porting is complete, wait for an SMS from your new operator confirming the switch. Your phone may be dead for about 2 hours when the porting takes place.

12.In the case of pre-paid subscriber, any balance amount left will not be carried forward when the number is transferred to the new service provider.

13.Once a subscriber ports his number to the new operator, then, he will have to wait for at least 90 days before he can change his operator again.

Do you think MNP will be successful in India and we customers will benefit from this?

We know that what happened in case of Advertisement calls and SMS after register for No ad then also we receive daily calls and sms regarding advertisements on our mobile phones.


It may happen that after applying for changing mobile company network, your mobile will go dead for a week or a month, and you have to get the new mobile number.

I tried to find information regarding if mobile company fails to start new service or old mobile company does not send our data to new mobile company and thus new mobile company does not start our phone number
what will be punishment for mobile companies in this case .

What will be fine amount for failure to provide information to new mobile company?

How much money as a customer I can claim for mental harassment by first company.

If you want guaranteed mental satisfaction, spend few hours,

Get new mobile number from new company
As now a day’s new sim card, new mobile phone number is given free of cost
After this change sim card, and inform all friends about new mobile number.

This will be faster, more satisfying.

Let’s see what happens in case of MNP.

Reality Views by sm –
Thursday, November 25, 2010