TRAI to finalise recommendation on MNP

New Delhi, Aug 17: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has finalised its recommendation on Mobile Number Portability (MNP), which allows the customer to switch over the service provider retaining the same number, but the mobile operators have told the government that the cost of implementing such portability would be very high and it was not appropriate time to introduce MNP regime.

In his written reply to Mr B Janardhana Poojari in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Shakeel Ahmad said that the TRAI was finalising its recommendations through consultation process.

During the consultation process, the mobile operators had indicated that cost of implementation of MNP was very high and it was not appropriate time to introduce the same as the operators were in the process of expansion of their network in rural areas. "The TRAI's recommendations are under consideration," Dr Ahmad said.

He also revealed that a committee had been constituted to recommend sharing infrastructure in Delhi on a pilot basis where the cellular operators both in GSM and CDMA could share the infrastructure without putting up more exclusive towers. The project Most Operators' Shared Towers was being implemented by the service providers, he said.

The minister replied in the negative to a question if the government proposed to set up a national Inter-connect Exchange to take care of the delays in inter-connection between operators. The inter connection is provided on the basis of the agreements worked out between the telecom service providers, he said.' To a question on telecom equipment requirement for 2010, the minister said it was expected at about 35 billion US dollars. The assessment was that about 75 per cent pf the demand will be met by indigenous manufacturers while the rest will be met through imports.

Answering Mrs S G Indira about the ailing public sector telecom giant ITI, the minister said the company was passing through a 'severe financial crunch' leading to shortage of working capital and rapid advancement of technology. The BIFR had declared the company a sick unit. The government had sanctioned a revival package of Rs 1,024.77 crore towards voluntary retirement scheme, PF dues, capital expenditure, equity infusion and waiver of penal interest on loan availed from the government.

About the number of cyber crimes in the country, Dr Ahmad said 247 crimes were registered under the Information Technology Act 2000 during 2004 and 05 leading to the arrests of 252 people. During the same period, 581 crimes were registered under the Indian Penal Code leading to the arrest of 706 people. The CBI had registered six cases of which four were pending trial.

UNI