Number Portability Implementation in India

[Hooter 0]

i will go with Airtel(GSM) because airtel provide better service and always rady to conected.

always cool n enjoy!

[Chirag 5]

Portability between GSM n CDMA?? How would that happen between the two technologies? U might be able to take that number but not that handset!

[amitbt22 2]

Number portability opposed by MTNL

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1342200.cms

[amtrag 20]

Portability between GSM n CDMA?? How would that happen between the two technologies? U might be able to take that number but not that handset!

Its number portability...not device portability.

[@ksh@T 20]

theese PSU's ..just are good for nothing just eating the ADC money and enjoying.....

[Arun 795]

DoT against number portability

December 29, 2005 18:24 IST

Last Updated: December 29, 2005 18:33 IST

Contrary to recommendations in the draft of the New Telecom Policy prepared by it, the Department of Telecom is not in favour of number portability -- a system that will enable a subscriber to retain the same number even while changing the service provider.

With a tele-density of just 11 per cent, number portability is not advisable at this moment. Moreover, this has the possible impact of adding to the overall cost of the network of operators and fuel high call charges, official sources told PTI, saying no action is expected on this front.

"If it is so urgent, call forwarding facility should be considered as an alternative on mobile phones where the burden will be minimum on the consumers as well as on the operators," they said.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has fixed January 6 as the last date for receiving comments from operators, after GSM operators association Cellular Operator Association of India sought more time for submitting its views. The draft policy provides for implementation of number portability within 12 months of the policy's announcement.

Telecom companies expect their additional spend on infrastructure to go up by about 10 per cent if number portability is implemented.

"Offering number portability is good for the country. It will enhance competition and brings benefits like better quality. But while going about this exercise, the government should try to introduce portability in fixed line also," Reliance Infocomm officials said.

It has been estimated that mobile number portability will add to infrastructure costs significantly. "We believe that the costs of its introduction would be at least around a few thousand crores," COAI stated.

Tata Teleservices, however, welcomed the move saying, "MNP will certainly increase competition among operators and will motivate the service providers to increase the quality of service with the objective of retaining their existing subscribers and discouraging them from moving into other network."

According to the Tatas, there will be significant positive impact if services are flawless and efficient.

However, if there are issues/defects in service, there will be major dissatisfaction. Handset portability (GSM & CDMA) needs to be addressed and the regulator needs to ensure that operators do not create artificial barriers.

State-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam too opposed the introduction of number portability, saying it need not be considered for introduction at present, while Bharat Sanchar Nigam is yet to firm up its views.

Number portability can be across services, across networks, across cities and even within a city.

There are two alternatives to number portability. One, a simple call forwarding service, which is considered a relatively crude method. The second is to install intelligent networks to identify and route calls.

But, there is lack of clarity over who will share the cost of installing the additional network. The consultation paper will seek answers to all questions.

[linuxguy 0]

wtf? all they gotta do is add call forwarding when the person switches services! Call forwarding is freely available with all telcos. Its just that they charge for forwarding each calls according to the local airtime. All they need to do is sign MoU with all operators that they will not charge each other in this case...

[Arun 795]

Telecom firms holding customers hostage ?

- Rediff.com

Surajeet Das Gupta | January 27, 2006

Imagine this. You are frustrated with your mobile service and want to dump it for another operator. However, you have given this number to hundreds of clients over the last few years. It's an unnerving task to inform all of them of your new number besides getting the new number printed on new visiting cards, letterheads, et al.

Assume, now, that you are allowed to retain your mobile number even after you have jumped from one service provider to the other. The magic word that can make this possible is "number portability".

All across the globe, number portability has been introduced by regulators in their countries to bring in competition and encourage new players - leading to lowering of tariffs for customers.

Number portability allows customers not only to move from one mobile service provider to another within the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) but also from GSM to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) services (you have to change your phone in this case), and also from landline to wireless phones.

Sounds exciting? The hitch is it is that Indian telco operators are not enthused in the least. And, for a change, both GSM as well as CDMA mobile operators are united on this one issue - they think the time for introducing number portability is not ripe.

Only last year, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India came out with consultation paper on only mobile number portability (it did not touch on the issue of portability between landline and landline and wireless) soliciting the opinions of service operators.

TRAI officials point out that while number portability is a complex issue, it is good for customers. The consultation paper points out that an IDC survey has shown that 30 per cent of mobile subscribers were likely to shift from their operators if they were given an option.

GSM operators have plainly rejected portability. Instead, they have asked for more time to respond to the paper (the deadline was January 6.).

Says T V Ramachandran, secretary-general of the the Cellular Operators Association of India: "Number portability is introduced in countries as an instrument to increase competition. But in India, we already have so much of competition and the lowest tariffs in the world. Introducing portability will only increase tariffs - it makes no sense now." COAI, instead has appointed international consultants to study the issue carefully before it comes to any conclusions.

Joining the chorus are incumbent operators. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd has categorically opposed number portability for the time being as it will raise costs. Even officials of the Department of Telecommunications are lukewarm on the issue - they say that with just 11 per cent tele-density, it is too early to launch number portability, which could raise costs and therefore tariffs.

In the CDMA space, the main players - Reliance Infocomm and the Tatas are divided on the issue. While Reliance Infocomm has been pushing for number portability only in fixed lines, the Tatas have demanded that portability be extended to both fixed as well as wireless services.

Says S C Khanna director general of Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India: "As we have had a difference of opinion among our members we have not submitted our recommendations to the TRAI". Reliance has also played upon the fact that it would require a large investment and lead to hike in tariffs.

The opposition is not surprising. Churn rates in India are at around eight per cent a month and industry (which means every customer changes his service provider every year) experts say this could go up to 15 per cent if number portability in the mobile space is introduced. And that would increase the cost of acquiring customers, which no one really likes.

Telecom experts say incumbents like BSNL and MTNL - which control over 89 per cent of the fixed line phones - have resisted number portability in fixed lines as this would give the private sector a chance to nibble into their stable subscriber base.

However, Reliance has demanded that number portability should be introduced in fixed lines first as that would give them an opportunity to take a swipe at BSNL's customer base.

Says Ramachandran: "The TRAI talks only of portability in the mobile space. That is amazing. Why should they not consider it in fixed lines where the incumbents control the market and unlike us have very little competition".

Similarly telelcom experts point out that the Tatas are angling for portability since they have the lowest subscriber base both in mobile as well as fixed lines amongst the national players - and portability will give them the chance to take grab market share for exisiting players.

Ramachandran says operators might have to fork out between Rs 3,000-4,000 crore (Rs 30-40 billion) in the mobile space alone for implementing portability.

Global experience, however, shows prices have not risen anywhere in the world - whether in the US, Singapore or Europe. Ashok Sud, chief officer, corporate affairs, Tata Teleservices, argues: "Implementing mobile number portability is not as expensive as it has been made out to be by certain operators. Global examples corroborate the fact that the overall benefits to consumers and industry far outweigh the costs involved".

Considering that labour is cheaper, and software costs are lower in India (software comprises a major part of the cost), Tatas say the cost per subscriber would be around Rs 300. Assuming that 15 per cent of the total subscriber base of 200 million (projected in 2007) opt for the service, operators would need to fork out about Rs 900 crore (Rs 9 billion).

But in most countries, a substantial portion of the cost is borne by the customer to avail the service. They argue that customers could easily pay up to Rs 200 (one-time cost) for the service - so telecom operators need not fork out more than Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion). Divide that amongst six national operators and it amounts to only Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million).

However, the costs could be higher. Based on European assumptions - operators would have to fork out over Rs 2700 crore (Rs 27 billion). And even assuming that part of the cost is borne (Rs 200 is paid by customers for the service) each operator needs to fork out over Rs 350 crore (Rs 3.5 billion) for offering the service - which is a one-time cost.

Those supporting portability argue that since it was launched in 2003, the US has already had over 8.5 million customers who have opted for number portability. And as much as 10 per cent of US consumers have moved a landline number to a wireless phone.

TRAI, too, argues in its paper that countries like Pakistan with 6.9 per cent penetration of phones and Netherlands with 10 per cent have, or are, thinking of introducing number portability. Pakistan, for instance, has announced it will introduce mobile portability in April 2006.

Of course there has been opposition from operators in most places. In the US, phone operators moved the court opposing portability. In Europe, too, introduction of portability was being delayed by service providers till the regulator put its foot down.

However, is the move towards portability already too late? Has the regulator taken too much time to implement this instrument to ensure competition? Many point out that number portability should have come two to three years ago when the market had dominant players - like Airtel, Hutch, BSNL and a lot of new players and smaller players getting in.

Currently, all the advantages associated with number portability are severely limited. One, the top four players in the mobile space have market shares ranging between 19-21 per cent - so there is no single dominant player.

Two, tariffs across service providers are virtually similar, so there is no compelling reason to shift to another operator because you save financially.

Three, quality of service - which is another determining factor for customers to shift - is unfortunately dependent on extraneous factors (spectrum, or the shortage of it) outside the service operators' control.

The only differential is customer service, or the fact that some may want to shift from one technology to another (GSM to CDMA) because of their needs. But any shift from one technology still entails a cost – you have to buy a new handset and that makes it expensive to change even with portability.

In sum, should number portability be pushed through? The TRAI consultation paper argues that the Indian telecom market is still not saturated and competition still focuses on increasing market share. However, with strong opposition from virtually every quarter, it might not be easy for the regulator or the government to push it though.

Mobile number portability game

Voices for MNP say

Cost per subscriber to introduce MNP in Australia is Rs 675

Cost per subscriber to introduce MNP in Europe is Rs 900

Cost per subscriber in India to introduce MNP is expected to be around Rs 300

Pakistan to introduce MNP despite only 6.9% tele-density

Netherlands to introduce MNP in spite of only 10% tele-density

US has over 8.5 million customers who have opted for MNP

Tariffs have not gone up in any country which have adopted MNP

Voices against MNP argue

In the US, only 5% phone subscribers have adopted MNP so it has got a lukewarm response

Tele-density in India only 11%, so market has not matured

Churn rates (changing service providers) will increase by 15%-30%

Additional expenditure will be in the range of Rs 3,000-4,000 crore, hence tariffs to go up

Indian mobile tariffs are the lowest in the world, hence no justification to use portability as a weapon to ensure competition.

[vmsanghrajka 0]

Thers no doubt tht indian telecom industy is fastest growing in the world.. But i feel introducing number portability is too pre-mature for india.. We have very less teledensity..Number portablity was introduced in west to heat up competion..As of now in india, we already have lots of compertion..

[kcvvenkit 1]

Retain your mobile number, just switch the operator!

FRUSTRATED at being stuck with a personal phone number that prevents you from changing over to another service provider who offers you a better bang for the buck? The wait may not be long if the regulatory body makes up its mind on what is called ‘number portability’ in technical jargon, allowing phone subscribers to switch from one service provider to another while retaining the phone number.

North Carolina-based Tekelec, which provides telecom solutions worldwide, has offered to bring its number portability technology to the Indian market to allow users to hold on to a mobile number even while switching service providers.

“The technology, which can be used both in fixed-line and in mobile networks, will cost all of $1 per subscriber,” said Ravi Ravishankar, the company’s director for global marketing.“Projections show that India will have 250 million telephone subscribers by 2007 and for the technology to support such a volume on a nationwide basis, it could cost anywhere between $150 million and $200 million,” Ravishankar said.

“But it all really depends on what the telecom watchdog - the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India - decides to do here,” he said. “Service providers otherwise may not be too keen to spend extra money for a situation they might not want.” The regulatory body has already circulated a consultation paper on the issue and several service providers, including Bharti Televentures, Reliance Infocomm and Tata Teleservices have sent in their responses - some in favour, others opposed. Open house discussions are being held in several cities before a final decision.

If the number portability technology is made mandatory, users can then seamlessly switch between networks, which could seriously affect brand loyalty and set off another race of lowered tariffs, industry analysts said.

The technology is widely prevalent in most parts of Europe and North America, as also countries like Singapore.Ravishankar said that the only problem they foresaw for the use of the number portability technology in India was the diversity of phone technologies - since the country uses both the GSM and CDMA standards, besides fixed-land telecom. “Migrating from CDMA to GSM phones is the only issue we see in India but that is something that we will take up as it comes,” Ravishankar said.

Asked about the time period for incorporating the number portability systems in India, another Tekelec official, Travis Russell, said that since the company had the technology ready, it was just a matter of deploying it in the right places. “Deployment is not an issue; it could be set up in a period of six-eight months. In a country as geographically diverse as India, we would recommend a region-wise set-up like we have in the United States,” Russell added.

60 m GSM lines’ tender in March

COMMUNICATION and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran, on Sunday, announced that state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited would invite bids for adding 60 million GSM lines envisaging an investment of over $4.5 billion. “We are witnessing a record growth in the addition of subscribers in last few months this needs to be continuously fuelled. Public sector companies BSNL and MTNL are extremely aggressive. BSNL will float a tender for adding 60 million lines in the first week of March, Mr Maran said on the sidelines of function to launch Ericsson’s Global R&D centre in Chennai.

[Hooter 0]

This is great news for mobile subscribers and will go a long way in improving the telecom services. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today recommended number portability for mobile subscribers. This is expected to bring about more competition among the mobile operators since customers do not have to worry about changing their numbers as they move from one operator to the other.

The number portability service is likely to be implemented within a year according to the regulator's recommendations. "Mobile number portability implementation process should be initiated in our country. A time frame of 12 months between the acceptance of recommendation by the Government and launch of this facility is recommended. It is recommended that this facility should be available to mobile subscribers tentatively by 1st April 2007," the regulator said. The price of this service will be one time payment of 200 Rupees.

However, the recommendations do not cover fixed number portability.

Cheers!

PS: unable to find old topic

<< Topic Merged >>

Edited March 8, 2006 by Arun

[Arun 795]

yeah, great news infact !

TRAI recommends Rs 200 one-time fee for number portability

New Delhi , March 8

The Hindu Business Line

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India today recommended that mobile operators should introduce number portability before April 2007 by taking a one-time fee of Rs 200 from subscribers.

Once introduced, mobile number portability (MNP) will allow customers to switch operator while retaining the same phone number.

"TRAI considers it an appropriate time to initiate the process for implementing MNP so as to increase customer convenience, quality of service and further enhance competition among service providers in the mobile sector. Mobile Number Portability implementation process should be initiated in our country. "A time frame of 12 months between the acceptance of recommendation by the Government and launch of this facility is recommended. It is recommended that this facility should be available to mobile subscribers tentatively by April 1, 2007," a press release said.

However, mobile operators are not in favour of introducing the scheme. The Cellular Operators Association of India said that the scheme had become irrelevant as the customer already has several options because of competition among service providers.

COAI is also planning to release the findings of a study by global analysts to highlight the ineffectiveness of number portability in developed nations. Cellular operators also said that the cost of implementing the scheme estimated at Rs 1,800 crore could instead be used for providing rural coverage.

The Department of Telecom will take a final decision on the same, the release said. In its recommendations, TRAI said it was appropriate to implement MNP in phased manner starting from the metros and A category service areas followed by B and C category service areas within an interval of six months. TRAI said that even if the entire cost is transferred to the customer, it works out to a one-time payment of around Rs 200, which will enable the operator to recover his investment cost in 3-5 years.

The COAI said that the scheme had become irrelevant as the customer already has several options because of competition among service providers.

Cellular operators said that the cost of implementing the scheme estimated at Rs 1,800 crore could instead be used for providing rural coverage.

Press Release: TRAI releases recommendations on Mobile Number Portability

[KingofKalyan 0]

The day when its launched i will jump to airtel or hutch for few days and then come back to Reliance

[KumaarShah 143]

and why may i know your flipflop from reliance to airtel/hutch and back? you want to spend 400 just like that?

[KingofKalyan 0]

and why may i know your flipflop from reliance to airtel/hutch and back? you want to spend 400 just like that?

Yes withing a couple month i would love to experience all the service providers.

And that is going to be a real fun.. im waiting for the day when it will be launched..

I hope they dont come up with any restrictions in this..

[basant_jp 0]

It will be implemented by the mid of next of year or so...so is you are waiting to experinece all the operators in the couple of months, think twice.

Cheers!

[linuxguy 0]

due to technical reasons there wont be number portability among CDMA and GSM operators

[basant_jp 0]

There is no such technical hindrance to number portability among CDMA and GSM operators ...it is very much feasible and has already been implemeted in United States. Infact, verizon in US has rolled out the plans for number portablity with landlines as well. So there is no reason we should think that it is not possible in India.

Cheers!

[KingofKalyan 0]

, think twice.

Cheers!

Basant I didnt get u ........Pls clarify

[atulkathuria 0]

I will be the first person who will leave reliance after this scheme interduce in india....... i am fed up with reliance because call drops while travelling . I always miss important calls while driving.

[KingofKalyan 0]

I will be the first person who will leave reliance after this scheme interduce in india....... i am fed up with reliance because call drops while travelling . I always miss important calls while driving.

U might be using some nokia phone i suppose !

[kshah 452]

Text copied from PDF document about portability of number:

Download from: http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/Recommendations/1/

TRAI's NOTE to DOT secretery

No. 101-13/2005-MN-Vol II

March 8, 2006

Sub: Recommendations on Mobile Number Portability

1. TRAI has issued its recommendations on Mobile Number Portability. A copy of the same along with Press Release is enclosed

2. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) allows Mobile subscribers to change their service provider while retaining their subscriber number. Portability benefits subscribers and increases the level of competition amongst service providers, rewarding those operators having better customer service, network coverage, and service quality. Keeping in view the growth of telecom services in India, TRAI considers that it is now an appropriate time to initiate the process for implementing Mobile Number Portability for further enhancing competition among service providers in the Mobile sector and also to improve quality of service and customer satisfaction to the Mobile Subscribers.

3. Keeping the above in view, TRAI issued a Consultation Paper on Mobile Number Portability on July 22, 2005. Subsequently, Open House Discussions were held in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi to know the stakeholders opinion on this issue. Based on the inputs received in the Consultation process and also its own analysis, TRAI has finalised its recommendations on Mobile Number Portability.

4. The recommendations on Mobile number Portability provide broad guidelines on implementation of MNP which Government may consider mandating service providers so as to make available the facility of MNP by 1 April 2007. It may be mentioned that some of the operators expressed their willingness to implement Mobile Number Portability. The costing models annexed to the recommendations are based on the information received from some of the service providers about their network status.

5. These recommendations have also been posted on TRAI's website (www.trai.gov.in)

( Dr. D.P.S. Seth)

Member

T.R.A.I

The Secretary,

Department of Telecommunications,

Sanchar Bhavan,

New Delhi-110001

Download reccomendation letter from above, which suggest April 07. I belive by april 07, reliace will come out with some sort of solution where handsets will be free from operator control. RUIM appears to be next near future dream.

[Puneet 0]

DoT rejects number portability move

Posted online: Monday, December 04, 2006 at 0350 hours IST

NEW DELHI, DEC 3: The department of telecommunications (DoT) has rejected the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) recommendation that mobile number portability be implemented in a phased manner from April 1, 2007. The DoT has said that portability is not a mandatory service and the timing of its implementation should be left to the commercial judgment of operators.

Number portability ensures that mobile phone numbers do not change even if users switch operators.

Reasoning in an internal note, the DoT has said that the cost of network upgrade for number portability works out to Rs 940 crore and in today’s competitive environment, it may not be appropriate for either the regulator or the licensor to ask operators to share the cost amongst themselves. Rather, such a step should be left to the commercial judgment of operators.

The DoT has also said that number portability cannot be implemented across technologies like GSM and CDMA in the absence of dual handsets.

Trai had submitted the recommendations suo-motu and they were not covered under the relevant clause of the Trai Act 1997. Therefore, in the event of the recommendations being not accepted, it will not be necessary for the DoT to refer them back to Trai before taking a final decision.

Number portability is already on in the US, the UK, Australia, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Singapore.

In India, however, most telecom operators had opposed the move, stating that fixed number portability should be implemented first. In fact, the Cellular Operators’ Association of India had even got a survey conducted by a market research firm, which concluded that mobile number portability was not a must for cellphone users.

But consumer organisations had favoured the move.

Source: The Financial Express

[GSV13 0]

Coai And its members must have bribed Dot Babus(We know) for this as it might be a pain for them After MNP comes into regime.

[kshah 452]

crazy reasons of GSM + CDMA dual handset.If CDMA or GSM user want to use services they can always invest in handset.

Had DOT or TRAI been so concern about investments of users, they could have not allowed NON RUIM handset for CDMA.

Anyway, bad news.