The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has finally activated the revised Mobile Number Portability (MNP) rules. The highlight of the new rules is that it enables the user to port their number to a new operator within 3-5 days. The telecom regulatory authority has brought in a number of changes to ensure a fast MNP process. It has set Rs 6.46 as the transaction charge per porting request. Under the revised rules, a Unique Porting Code (UPC) will be generated only if the customer is eligible.
What is UPC?
A Unique Porting Code is essential to port your mobile number. It is generated when customers put in a request for mobile portability through an SMS with the word ‘PORT’ followed by a space and your ten-digit mobile number which is to be ported, to 1900. Following this, the UPC is generated and on contacting the nearest customer service of the operator, you can get your new SIM after filling the Customer Acquisition Form (CAF).
For a customer to be eligible for UPC, TRAI lays down certain conditions. In the press release issued by the regulatory body a few days back, it states that in case of post-paid connection, the customer has to clear the ‘outstanding dues’ or pending bills for completing the MNP process. Further it states that porting to other operator within the same circle (Licensed Service Area) will be executed within three working days and if porting is for another circle, it will be executed within five days. There is no change in the porting timelines for the corporate mobile connections. Activation in the customer’s present operator network is not less than 90 days. However, the rules do not deal with request of change of mobile number ownership.
The UPC will be valid for four days in all Licensed Service Areas except in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North East circles where it will be valid for a period of 30 days.
The new process was announced in December last year, and prolonged testing caused several delays in the implementation of it.
