The Hindu Business Line : It's easier step by step

Switch your telecom service provider or network, but hold on to your number. In other words, we are talking of number portability that's coming up for consultation. Some suggestions on how it can be implemented in our market to keep both the telecom service provider and the customer happy.

IN what is gratifying news, more than seven months after this column advocated the need for introducing number portability in the country (April 23, 2003), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced that it will commence consultations on the issue soon.

In other words, if the Authority has its way, telephone subscribers may soon be able to switch their service providers without having to let go of their telephone number. It now remains to be seen whether this flexibility will be allowed across networks (GSM cellular, CDMA cellular and fixed lines) or will be allowed only within each of these networks.

What is, however, certain is that the latest move by the TRAI is bound to meet with stiff opposition from the telecom operators who will be wary of losing their subscribers to their competitors. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the telecom regulatory authority in the US, has been barraged by a series of law suits ever since it announced its decision to introduce number portability. It would do our very own authority a lot of good if it examines the US experience carefully before it rushes in with its proposal to introduce the same in India.

Although number portability between fixed line and wireless networks has come into force in the US starting November 24, 2003, the whole run-up to the deadline has been marked by valiant efforts by the telecom service providers to get a judicial stay on the move. The operators cited technical difficulties and cost burden in implementing number portability. There is no reason why our very own desi companies will also not rush to court if it is implemented in one stroke, all of a sudden.

One way for the TRAI to get around this problem would be to start implementing number portability step by step, instead of mandating the US kind of policy all of a sudden across the country.

The three main issues that have to considered here are that the telephone numbers are, at present, location-specific, service provider-specific and network-specific.

We have different service providers operating in different locations which are called "telecom circles" in licensing parlance in India. One circle roughly corresponds to a large state or a couple of smaller states. We also have different kinds of networks such as landline, GSM mobile and CDMA mobile being offered in each circle by different operators. In many circles, the same operator offers two of the three different services. For instance, in Delhi, the Bharti group offers GSM cellular services and landline services, while Reliance offers landline and CDMA mobile services.

To start with, the TRAI should suggest a change in the National Numbering Plan, based on which each operator is allotted similar sets of numbers that they can give their subscribers. Since each service provider is given a different set of numbers at present, with some having 10 digits and some 8 digits, unless this is changed, operator portability will not be feasible. Although there will be initial confusion amongst subscribers if all the numbers are overhauled once again, it definitely will be worth the trouble.

The process towards number portability can then start with its initial introduction within the same circle, which can then be extended across circles. There should be three stages each, for intra-circle portability and inter-circle portability. Let's see how it can be done.

Intra-circle portability

: In this phase, the first step would be to allow number portability for the same operator across networks. In other words, a BSNL landline subscriber in Chennai should be allowed to shift to a BSNL cellular connection by retaining the same phone number, or the other way around. Similarly if a Reliance landline customer wants to shift to a Reliance CDMA connection, he should be allowed to retain the same number.

The second step would be to allow the subscriber to carry his number even if he shifts the service provider, as long as it is in the same network — for example, if an AirTel subscriber in Mumbai wants to shift to a Hutch cellular connection, or a Tata Teleservices CDMA subscriber in the same city wants to shift to a Reliance CDMA connection.

The last step would be to allow for number portability across services and across networks in the same circle. Here, the subscriber should be allowed to retain his number even if he shifts from a landline to a GSM or CDMA connection offered by any operator of his choice. Once this is implemented, the TRAI can think about allowing the subscriber to carry the same phone number even if he shifts out of the circle, say from Delhi to Chennai.

Inter-Circle Portability

: Here again, there will be three steps for the TRAI to implement the process. The first would again be portability across networks of the same operator. This is the simplest and by far the easiest form of portability that can be introduced even by monopoly service providers. In other words, if you have an AirTel connection and have to shift to a different city, then you will be allowed to retain the same number, as long as you stick to AirTel's services (the condition being, of course, that these AirTel services are available in the new city where you relocate). Similarly in the case of landlines and CDMA mobile connections.

Since there are already quite a few operators who have a pan-India presence like AirTel, Reliance and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, this kind of portability would be to the advantage of both the operators and the subscribers. Operators who do not have a pan-India presence will also be lured to take a unified licence across the country as it would help them garner more subscribers. Or, instead, they can reach agreements with other operators who have a presence in different circles. Something like the agreements reached for national roaming services.

The next step would be operator portability whereby the subscriber would have an opportunity to change his service providers in one network without changing his number. In such a case, for instance, a BSNL landline customer should be allowed to shift to a Tata Teleservices landline, an AirTel subscriber should be allowed to shift to a Hutch connection and a Reliance CDMA subscriber should be allowed to shift to a Tata Indicom connection, even while retaining the same number.

The third and final stage that could be introduced is service portability. In such a situation, a subscriber should be allowed to retain his number if he shifts his service across networks and across operators even if he shifts his location across the country. This would be full number portability in its true form that will lead to more efficiency in telecom services and freedom to the subscriber who will no longer feel chained down to his telephone number.

The advantage of this step-by-step process is that operators can get enough time to upgrade their networks and also shore up their revenues to meet the cost burden that would accrue as a result of portability. It would also give that much more flexibility for the telecom operators to frame their business plans to capture subscribers' attention in a totally competitive scenario. Not only will there be little opposition from the telecom operators, and little chance of their approaching the courts, but it will also benefit the customers immensely.

Picture by Bijoy Ghosh

grambabu@thehindu.co.in

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