MNP norms: Swap between CDMA, GSM & retain number

NEW DELHI: The department of telecom (DoT) has made significant changes in the mobile number portability (MNP) norms to allow customers move between GSM and CDMA services provided by the same operator.

As per the earlier norms, customers could move to a different operator and retain their number. But following the amendment, a customer will now be allowed to shift to different technology platform offered by his own operator and still retain his mobile number.

The move is set to benefit Reliance Communications (RCOM), Tata Teleservices, and state-owned players, BSNL and MTNL. RCOM and the Tatas now offer pan-India mobile services on the CDMA platform. They are now all set to launch GSM operations within the next couple of months. BSNL and MTNL, which currently offer GSM services, are rolling out full-fledged services on the CDMA platform.

ET has learnt that telecom minister A Raja had cleared this amendment on September 23. DoT has also inserted a clause mandating that revenues to the government must not be impacted, when a telco moves a customer from its CDMA to GSM network or vice-versa.

In another significant change, DoT has now said if an subscriber is shifting from GSM to CDMA or vice-versa within the same service provider, then the process need not be routed through a centralised agency.

“They can set up their own database and execute the process, bypassing the centralised operator,” said sources close to the development. But as per the MNP guidelines unveiled by Mr Raja in August, all porting must be routed only through two centralised operators who will be chosen by DoT.

The norms add these centralised operators will become mobile number portability clearing house administrators (MCHAs) and will set up the number portability database (NPDB), which will have the mobile numbers of all cellular users. All service providers will have to link their networks with MCHA and NPDB.

Industry sources said dual technology players, operators who offer services on both GSM and CDMA, would be the biggest beneficiaries.

“The DoT plans to allow this facility even before the actual MNP, including all operators, is implemented. This may help CDMA players, provided they rollout their GSM platform before MNP comes into effect. Under the actual MNP, the customer can move to any operator.

However, the dual tech operators can now give their customers the flexibility to move to another technology platform even before MNP kicks off across all operators. Thus, they get to retain their subscribers who want to move to a new technology platform,” said industry sources.

Market surveys have shown that 25-50% of the mobile users in India are unhappy with their operator, and are willing to switch to another service provider if allowed to retain their number.

Source : Economic Times