Mobile No Portability in metros, A circle by Dec 31

STAFF WRITER 15:36 HRS IST

New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) Mobile Number Portability will be implemented from December 31 in metros and category A service areas, and by 20th March, 2010, in rest of the country, telecom regulator TRAI said today.

The MNP facility will enable subscribers to retain their cell phone numbers even after changing service providers.

The government earlier this month had said implementation of MNP would be delayed by three months as regulations were still being made.

Issuing Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulations, 2009, TRAI said the MNP facility shall be available only within a given licensed service area.

A subscriber holding a mobile number is eligible to make a porting request only after 90 days of the date of activation of his mobile connection.

If a number is already ported once, the number can again be ported only after 90 days from the date of the previous porting.