Mobile Number Portability(MNP)

 General Overview
MNP is implemented in different ways across the globe. The international and European standard is for a customer wishing to port his/her number to contact the new provider (Recipient) who will then arrange necessary process with the old provider (Donor). This is also known as 'Recipient-Led' porting. The UK is the only country to not implement a Recipient-Led system, where a customer wishing to port his/her number is required to contact the Donor to obtain a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) which he/she then has to give to the Recipient. Once having received the PAC the Recipient continues the port process by contacting the Donor. This form of porting is also known as 'Donor-Led' and has been criticised by some industry analysts as being inefficient. It has also been observed that it may act as a customer deterrent as well as allowing the Donor an opportunity of 'winning-back' the customer. This might lead to distortion of competition, especially in the markets with new entrants that are yet to achieve scalability of operation.

Technical details

A significant technical aspect of MNP (Mobile Number Portability) is related to the routing of calls or mobile messages (SMS, MMS) to a number once it has been ported. There are various flavours of call routing implementation across the globe but the international and European best practice is via the use of a central database (CDB) of ported numbers. Network operator makes copies of CDB and queries it to find out which network to send a call to. This is also known as All Call Query (ACQ) and is highly efficient and scalable. Majority of the established and upcoming MNP systems across the world are based on this ACQ/CDB method of call routing. One of the very few countries to not use ACQ/CDB is the UK where calls to a number once it has been ported are still routed via the Donor network. This is also known as 'Indirect Routing' and is highly inefficient as it is wasteful of transmission and switching capacity. Because of its Donor dependent nature, Indirect Routing also means that if the Donor network develops a fault or goes out of business, the customers who have ported out of that network will lose incoming calls to their numbers. The UK telecoms regulator Ofcom completed its extended review of the UK MNP process on 29 November 2007 and mandated that ACQ/CDB be implemented for mobile to mobile ported calls by no later than 1 September 2009^{[dated info]}, and for all other (fixed and mobile) ported calls by no later than 31 December 2012.
Prior to March 2008 it took a minimum of 5 working days to port a number in the UK compared to 2 hours only in USA, as low as 20 minutes in the Republic of Ireland, 3 minutes in Australia and even a matter of seconds in New Zealand. On 17 July 2007, Ofcom released its conclusions from the review of UK MNP and mandated reduction of porting time to 2 working days with effect from 1 April 2008. On 29 November 2007, Ofcom completed its consultation on further reduction to porting time to 2 hours along with recipient led porting and mandated that near-instant (no more than 2 hours) recipient led porting be implemented by no later than 1 September 2009.
In a decentralised model of MNP, a FNR (Flexible Number Register) may be used to manage a database of ported out/ported in numbers for call routing.

Number Lookup Services

Service providers and carriers who route messages and voice calls to MNP-enabled countries might use HLR query services to find out the correct network of a mobile phone number. A number of such services exist, which query the operator's home location register (HLR) over the SS7 signalling network in order to determine the current network of a specified mobile phone number prior to attempted routing of messaging or voice traffic.

>>switch to TATA docomo
>>switch to vodafone
>>switch to aircel---

         To switch, call 98020 98020 (exclusive MNP helpline for non-Aircel users) or visit your            nearest Aircel Store.

>>switch to idea

       

Procedure to shift your existing number to Idea cellular:

• First you will need to generate a Unique Porting Code (UPC) from your mobile number. To generate this code you just need to send SMS as “PORT” (space) mobile number to 1900.

• After sending sms, visit your nearest My Idea store, submit mandatory documents and fill the Customer Application Form and Port-in form, pay Port-in fee of Rs. 37 (includes Rs. 19 as Porting charge + Rs.18 as New Sim card charge), get a new Idea SIM and request for port-in.

• Now, new SIM purchased will be activated within 7 working days. Activation date and time will be informed to you through SMS. As soon as you receive sms, you need to insert the Idea SIM into your phone and enjoy the services of Idea cellular.

For further assistance, you can also call 98120 12345 which is the customer care number of Idea cellular.
>>switch to BSNL 

Procedure for MNP Port-in request at BSNL CSCs:

1. Port-in customer will take UPC by sending SMS PORT followed by 10 Digit Mobile Number to 1900.

2. Port-in customer will submit CAF (application form) and MNP form with UPC at CSC.

3. Customer should be asked for an alternative number and desired FRC (2G/3G etc.) and record on BSNL/Porting CAF for future use.

4. Customer will be given a virgin SIM. On this virgin SIM, his number will be created afterwards. It is to be informed to the customer that after 72-96 hours or on getting SMS he/she may insert the SIM in the mobile and dial ‘123’ to activate BSNL services.

5. CCN person will complete the required entries in Fx GUI, mention type of FRC in the prescribed field and fire order for creation of new port-in number using MSISDN, IMSI, UPC etc.

6. SIM will be created after minimum 72 hours (assuming it is approved by the port-out operator) and maximum 96 hours.

8.Before activation of the BSNL services, there will be an interruption/ transit time of around 2 hours i.e. subscriber will not be getting services of any operator.