GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Ministry of Communications And Information Technology

DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2746
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19^TH AUGUST, 2010
Delay in Mobile Number Portability

2746. SHRIRAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

WiIl the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) whether the slow pace of work on readying mobile networks on the part of certain cellular operators is one ofthe reasons for the delay in implementation ofMobile Number Portability (MNP); and

(b)if so, the action Governrnent proposes to take against such cornpanies to ensure that networks

of ali operators are upgraded and tested in order to implement MNP at the earliest?

ANSWER

TRE MINISTER OF STATE IN TRE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI SACHIN PILOT)

(a) & (b) Sir, there were many issues to be resolved for Implementation of MNP affecting the readiness of Service Providers. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulation defining the business process for MNP in September 2009. Further, the Telecommunication TariffOrder (TTO) and TariffRegulation on MNP were issued by TRAI in November 2009. In December 2009, the License conditions of all Telecom Service Providers were amended making it mandatory to obtain Security Clearance before placing purchase orders for procurement of Telecom Equipmentsl software from foreign vendors. Further, in view of security concems with regard to implementation of:MNP for seamless lawful interception of messages/ call related information in case the ported number is already under lawful interception, tbe views ofMinistry of Home Affairs were received in May, 2010 and necessary instructions were issued in May 2010 itself.

The Govemment had set the time line for implementation ofMNP Service as 31^st March 2010 in the month of December, 2009 which was further extended to 30^th lune, 2010. The whole network {ali access service providers in ali service areas and International Long Distance Operators (ILDOs)} in the country have to be ready and tested before the :MNP Service is implemented. Ali these are time consuming processes, Keeping the complexity of the testing involved before MNP is implemented. and keeping in view the status of implementation by various operators in the month of lune 2010, Government has extended the time line for implementation of:MNP to 31^st October, 2010. Ali the networks in the country have been technicalIy upgraded for implementation of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Service and the network of Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) is in the process of upgradation. However, the readiness of networks can be ascertained after comprehensive testing of networks which is being conducted across all the networks. Govemment is regularly monitoring the status of implementation of MNP including readiness of the networks.