Mobile number portability: 23 mn users switch telcos

Despite initial apprehensions, mobile number portability (MNP) has emerged as a very useful tools for subscribers not satisfied with their operators.

Despite initial apprehensions, mobile number portability (MNP) has emerged as a very useful tools for subscribers not satisfied with their operators.

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More than 23 million subscribers have already registered for MNP in less than 10 months of its nationwide launch. Gujarat has received the highest number of requests for portability.

MNP allows a subscriber to shift to another operator without changing his telephone number.

"Telecom revolution can not be successful if customers are not satisfied," said JS Sarma, chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. "They should get the best quality of services. MNP enables a customer to get the best service. This also increases competition."

There were about 900 million telecom subscribers in the country by the end of October. Out of this only 700 million were active. This means that 3.3% of the subscribers have requested for change of operators. "This is a very healthy number," said Mahesh Uppal, a Delhi based telecom analyst. "MNP is one of the biggest pro-consumer tool."

Initially some industry analysts had apprehensions whether MNP would be successful in India. There was even opposition from industry when the regulator wanted to launch it.