Number portability being actively considered: Raja

New Delhi, Aug 22 (UNI) The Government today said that the introduction of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is currently under consideration and will consult telecom operators before launching this service which will help customers retain the same number regardless of the service providers.

''Recommendations given by TRAI are being actively considered,'' Communication Minister Andimuthu Raja told reporters here.

Telecom regulator TRAI pointed out that portability benefits subscribers and increases the level of competition among service providers, rewarding those with better customer service, network coverage and service quality.

Though it has been demanding the introduction of number portability since March 2006, the trigger for the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) to set the process in motion appears to be the recent hike in tariffs by some telecom companies despite stiff opposition from both the regulator and Telecom Minister A Raja.

Country's telecom companies are bitterly opposed to the introduction of number portability and say it will cost them several thousand crores to upgrade their networks.

Up to 50 per cent of all mobile users in India are unhappy with their operator, say market surveys. Companies argue it will cost thousands of crores to upgrade their networks to implement this Portability.

They have also said the market was not mature enough to support number portability, and this must be introduced only when the country has a high telecom penetration.

MNP will also result in a significant churn and may hit operators' bottomlines as the cost of retaining subscribers will go up. Service providers will also be forced to introduce schemes to tie down subscribers.

One of the factors that has forced DoT to act on this issue has been TRAI's repeated requests to the government to mandate its implementation by the year-end.

UNI