It seems like ages since the time when the implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) was the most debated topic in telecom corridors, but reality is that the much awaited MNP was delayed for what was the fourth time from June 30 to October 31.
In a statement announcing the new deadline, Department of Telecommunication (DoT) said “The government has taken the decision after reviewing the readiness of the various access/international long distance service providers and keeping in view the complexity and enormity of the testing involved before MNP is implemented.”
Way back in 2003 the USA was the first country in the world to launch MNP to enhance the mobile service industry in the country. Now India is on the same track, but is facing roadblocks because of repeated postponement.
As and when MNP is implemented, it will facilitate the user to alter his mobile service provider, without losing the original number.
MTNL and BSNL were the cause of the delay as they had not implemented its MNP gateway. Finally, though, BSNL issued orders for gateway implementation in April.
Kuldeep Goyal, chairman and managing director, BSNL, said, “We will be able to meet this revised deadline.”
On its part, MTNL has also assured that its gateway will be ready in a month’s time. “We have ordered for the gateway and we are waiting for the software to come. We would meet the new deadline of October 31, to implement the service,” said MTNL chairman and managing director Kuldip Singh.
MTNL said in an official statement that it has given a $1.76 million (or more than Rs eight crore) MNP contract to Tekelec. The contract has to be implemented in 16 weeks from the date on which it was made; it must be tested and delivered on site within eight weeks from the date of issue of the order.
Another bit of good news is that since orders for the roll out have already been placed by BSNL and MTNL, and it’s now upto the vendor to install and test the gateway, implementation of MNP is expected to be completed on time, as the terms of the contract penalises vendors for delay.
On the other hand, all the 13 private operators had already rolled out the gateways. However, most of them have not yet tested them, which is an important step in implementation. However, the deadline is still four months away and there is enough time for these operators to complete the testing.
It is expected that MNP will bring about a lot of churn as customer who have till now shied away from switching mobile service providers (since a number becomes a persons identity), will switch operators for better services or tariff plans.
Some analysts feel that private operators have prevented the timely roll out of MNP by delaying testing on purpose as they fear this churn. The fear of MNP is so great that operators are planning to use expensive 3G spectrum to augment their voice services so that quality of service doesn’t become a reason for customers to change their operator.
But DoT seems to be getting tough on operators regarding MNP implementation by openly criticising operators for the delay.
However, more than private operators it’s public sector companies who have caused the delay and there are two plausible reasons for that: Both public sector units MTNL and BSNL have been steadily losing customers to private operators and the second reason is their bureaucratic procedures, the latter reason being stronger.
Let’s hope that consumers are lucky this fourth time round and that MPN brings about a positive change in the Indian telecom ecosystem.

MTS today announced a new customer care initiative ‘MTS on Wheels’ for West Bengal wherein MTS branded buses are to travel across the state, addressing all customer needs related to voice and data services.
The service, launched in West Bengal, will be a month long activity starting today from Kolkata and will complete its journey at Burdwan in August. MTS has a customer base of 11 lakh in the state.
Keshhav Tiwary, chief operating officer, Kolkata and West Bengal, Sistema Shyam TeleServices, said in a company statement, “This unique initiative was conceived to ensure MTS reaches out to more and more people in the state of West Bengal and provides them with high quality services offered by MTS.”
The bus will comprise of all the facilities available to customers at MTS branded retail outlets across the country. There are different zones in the buses viz. instant activation zone, instant recharge zone, display zone, VAS zone, data product zone, customer service zone and play & win zone to cater to customer needs.
Various discounts and gifts will be offered to customers availing MTS connections from these buses. Customers can also avail instant recharge facilities from the recharge zone and take demos from the VAS zone. In the data product and display zone, customers can experience the quality of data services through free browsing and will be given discounts on purchase of data products.
Mumbai-based operator Loop Mobile had introduced a similar service in March which allowed subscribers to activate connections, buy recharge coupons and pay bills at vans positioned in their locality, instead of having to go to a Loop Mobile outlet.

Tata Docomo, the GSM brand of Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL), has launched an offer of unlimited calls to its Andhra Pradesh customers.
The Voice Free Recharge vouchers allow customers to make free calls, both local and STD, subject to a fair usage policy, to any network in India. However, they will be charged for data usage at one paisa per KB. Under the fair usage policy, prepaid subscribers will be able to use 2,400 seconds per day to make free local and STD calls till the coupon’s validity period.
NV Subbarao, regional head, south east, Tata Docomo, said, “The new voucher has been introduced keeping in mind the various usage needs of our customers, especially the student segment and customers in the age group of 18 to 24 who are heavy mobile internet users. By offering free 2,400 seconds usage daily, they (users) are free from voice tariff rates and it gives them freedom to utilise talktime for data usage. This is a unique way to increase adoption of internet at the same time offering value based voice free offer.”
Recharge vouchers are available in three denominations of Rs 200, Rs 350 and Rs 500, with validity of 10 days, 20 days and 30 days, respectively.

Idea Cellular has introduced a value added service that offers customers information about local businesses while they roam.
The Roamer Infoline service is an interactive voice response (IVR) based service with SMS integration, which offers roamers in any Idea network, across India, information pertaining to hotels, restaurants, pharmacies, shopping malls, ATMs, coffee shops etc. that are present where the subscriber happens to be.
The customer, while roaming, needs to dial 56665 and follow the IVR, and the information being sought for by him will be sent to his handset in an SMS.
The service is available to all Idea and non-Idea customers who catch the Idea network across India, except in Jammu & Kashmir, North-East, Haryana and Assam circles, where the service is currently not available. The charges are Rs 3 per minute.

Telecom major Vodafone Essar today launched its new bonus card, which will help subscribers send 100 local and national SMS or make local/STD calls for 8 minutes, at a price tag of Rs 4.
Priced at Rs 4, the offer is the lowest cost card currently available in the market and is aimed at enabling more people at the grass-root level to stay connected, Vodafone said in a statement.
By choosing to deduct Rs 4 from their available talktime, subscribers can get 8 local/STD minutes, calls at 30 paise per minute (to another Vodafone user), 40 minutes of local night calling (to another Vodafone user) or send 100 local/national SMSes. The card will be valid for one day.
“We are delighted to launch the most economical bonus offer available in the market. This marks the democratisation of bonus cards, empowering more and more customers to exercise choices at a highly affordable price point of Rs 4,” Vodafone Essar Chief Marketing Officer Kumar Ramanathan said.