Mobile Number Portability to be available from Today; Service Providers trying to woo Customers

After delaying several times in the past, Mobile Number Portability (MNP) will finally be available in India from today. It has been postponed a number of times from December 31st 2009 to 31st March 2010 and then again to 30th June 2010. It was delayed due to the fact that the mobile operators have not been able to set up the needed infrastructure for this facility.

For those of you who haven’t heard of MNP, it is a facility in which the customers can shift from one operator to another without the need to change his/her phone number.

Initially for testing purposes, this facility is first being initiated in Rohtak district of Haryana from today and then will gradually be extended to all other circles as well.

For using this facility, customers will have to send an SMS to 1900. They will then receive a porting code which has to be filled in the application form of the new service provider. The transfer of service provider will then be completed within 4 days.

Service providers have already started attracting customers towards their company by providing free talk-time and free addon packs. For ex. BSNL has announced Rs. 100 free talk-time for those who opt to port their number to BSNL. Similarly, TATA Docomo has announced various freebies that can be found in detail here.