DoT: Mobile Number Portability to be Launched by September 20

DoT (Department of Telecommunications) have announced that, Mobile Number Portability (MNP) will be launched by September 20 in selected telecom circles. For those who are still unaware about what MNP is, it is a service using which a mobile phone user can migrate to different telecom companies retaining his/her existing number. For ex. a Vodafone’s customer can move to Airtel without having to terminate his/her Vodafone number.

According to this report of the Department of Telecommunications, at first number portability will be rolled out in a few selected circles and later, during the second phase MNP will be introduced for the entire country. The deadline for the works for first phase is set to be 20th September 2009 and that of the second phase is September 20, 2010.

According to DoT, the following telecom circles will witness MNP in the first phase:

• Delhi
• Mumbai
• Maharashtra
• Gujarat
• Kolkata
• TamilNadu
• Chennai
• Andhra Pradesh
• Karnataka

Well, this piece of news must make many mobile users happy, but its sad to know that my existing telecom circle (Orissa) is not listed here and I will have to wait till September 20 2010 to see MNP live in my state/telecom circle.

Anyways, am happy that DoT have at least bothered to announce the launch date in advance, but I am still wondering whether they could really arrange to introduce MNP by the given deadline? You know India’s regulatory authorities, even 3G spectrum is yet to be allocated to private operators which was expected to be done way back. This proves how effective is the authority agencies!

(Image credits: Wat Blog)