Full Mobile Number Portability Rollout Likely to Miss May 3 Deadline: COAI

Telecom operators are likely to miss the deadline for the rollout of full mobile number portability across the country from May 3 due to some technical issues, an industry body has said.

"There is a possibility that it (Full MNP) will be delayed. Given our past experience, we have asked DoT to form a committee for coordinating rollout of full MNP. There are some network testing and routing issues that need to sorted out in time. The committee has not met yet," industry body COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI.

The full MNP will allow subscribers to retain their mobile number in any part of the country even they change their operator or state.

At present MNP allows subscribers to change mobile network while retaining their number in same telecom circle.

The Department of Telecom had set the deadline of May 3 to start full MNP service and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) amended existing MNP regulation on February 25.

"Trai issued final guidelines with some delay. We need some time to work on those guidelines and make changes in network accordingly. We are thankful to DoT that it has reduced testing requirement to minimum level. We are working hard but there will be some delay. It looks very unlikely that it will happen from May 3," Mathews said.

He said that there has to be certainty that networks of public sector companies BSNL and MTNL are ready with changes to facilitate full MNP.

"We have asked to form committee so that there can be coordination among telecom operators for various tests. It will take final call as and when its meet and thereafter we will need some time to make arrangements," Mathews said.