Mobile Number Portability Implementation Postponed To Dec 31

[jayanthi mandhalapu]

The deadline for the implementation of the mobile number portability has been postponed to Dec 31. It had earlier been fixed as Sep 20 by the government. Mobile number portability will help subscribers to change their operators without changing their numbers.

"The implementation of first phase of the mobile number portability (MNP), in metro and category A service area has been extended to December 31, 2009," an official statement said.

With this decision by the government, people can expect that MNP will be available by 2009 end. Some of the places where this will be implemented include Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu which covers the Karnataka, and Chennai service areas.

"The Department of Telecommunication has extended the date of implementation in view of time and efforts required to customise and upgrade the existing networks for enabling them to provide MNP service," the statement added.

"Moreover certain technical and commercial issues relating to MNP service are also to be resolved."