- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) directed the Department of Telecom to refrain from making any changes in the entry fee for mobile number portability (MNP) licensees and bank guarantee of companies involved in managing mobile number portability (MNP) service.
- While MNP currently allows changing of networks within the telecom circle, a full or nationwide MNP will allow subscribers to change mobile services on to network of any telecom operator throughout the country while retaining same number.
- Presently, Syniverse Technologies and MNP Interconnection Telecom Solution operate to provide MNP service and have around five years before their licence validity expires.
- The number of subscribes availing nationwide MNP would be small, and the providers will have to incur cost to bring change in their infrastructure to provide nationwide MNP.
- The providers depend on the porting volumes alone to recover cost and earn profits, and as the volumes for full MNP is not evident, recovering the cost for modification becomes a concern.
- It recommended that the PBG for the MNP service providers should be continued as per the existing licence conditions, which is Rs.1 crore at present.
- An amount equal to 50 per cent of PBG may be kept till the end of their licence period, and any excess amount pending with DoT should be released immediately.
- Read at:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/no-change-in-entry-fee-for-mnp-service-providers/article6235281.ece