TRAI extends deadline for telcos to implement revised MNP rules: Report

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is reportedly giving telecom companies more time to implement the **new mobile number portability (MNP) rules** . According to a report by the  Economic Times, TRAI has extended the deadline from 13 June to 30 September 2019. In December 2018, TRAI called for **speeding up the mobile number portability period** by cutting down the processing time for porting request to half. Per TRAI’s new rules, the portability must happen within a period of two days. Only in case of MNP from one circle to another was the four-day period for the process allowed. For the uninitiated, the MNP allows users to port from one mobile network to the other without needing to change their contact number. [caption id=“attachment_6749271” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]  Representative image.[/caption] Reportedly, TRAI says that telecom operators have requested for more time to implement the new MNP rules saying that getting the process going on the ground would entail big changes in their networks and IT elements. In April this year, TRAI had sought feedback from telcos in India on their readiness to implement the revised MNP rules. The move to revamp the current mechanism for MNP comes on the heels of the regulator **slashing the MNP charges** by almost 79 percent to a maximum of Rs 4, last year. The prescribed ceiling for MNP charge was Rs 19 previously. At present, switching to another network with the same mobile number takes seven days but globally the process gets completed in a matter of hours, a TRAI official said, adding that the regulator aims to make the procedure more efficient, and also reduce the code errors that consumer may face, at times.