Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced new guidelines for the mobile number portability (MNP) India. The new rules are applicable from today onwards.
Under the new rules, the mobile number Porting process will be completed within 3 to 5 days. Previously, the process used to take 15 days to port a mobile number from one operator to another. TRAI has also revealed that users need to pay Rs 6.46 for each porting request.
New Guidelines
The regulator has revealed some guidelines for MNP. To start with, users will have to use the active connection for at least 90 days. Postpaid users will have to clear all the outstanding dues as per their billing cycle.
Furthermore, users will not be eligible for portability if they have already made a request to change the ownership of the mobile number. “There should not be any pending contractual obligations to be fulfilled by the subscriber as per the exit clause provided in the subscriber agreement,” TRAI said in a statement.
How to port a number?
The process is fairly simple. Users who are looking to port their mobile number can send an SMS with ‘PORT’ followed by a space and the ten-digit mobile number to 1900. Users will then get a Unique Porting Code (UPC) through an SMS, which is valid for four days. Users then need to go to the nearest customer service centre of the operator they want to port and fill the Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) and Porting Form and provide the UPC code.
Users have to make the necessary payment for porting along with requisite KYC documents. Once the documents and forms are submitted, users will get a new SIM, which will be activated within three days. However, in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North-East areas, it will take 15 working days.
The process is the same for postpaid customers. Users can also withdraw the porting request by sending a CANCEL followed by space and the mobile number to 1900. However, it is important to note that withdrawing the porting request should be made within 24 hours of submitting the request.