You may have to wait till April 2010 for mobile number portability

NEW DELHI: The mobile users in India may now have to wait till April 2010 to be able to enjoy mobile number portability (MNP) services, a facility that allows users to change their operator while retaining the number.

MNP was earlier scheduled to be implemented from January 1, 2010, in metros and large circles, while the rest of the country was slated to have access to this from April. At a review meeting on Friday to evaluate MNP preparedness between operators, DoT and Trai officials agreed to extend the deadline for metros to April 2010.

Both private operators and state-run telecom firms - BSNL and MTNL - during the meet said that while equipment for MNP was already in place, they can be tested and commission only by March next year.



In another move that could derail the implementation of MNP in the country, the home ministry has also pointed out that minority shareholders of US-based Telcordia Technologies were only a front, and had no experience in running telecom operations.

The home ministry also raised questions on Telcordia’s operations in Pakistan.