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BlackBerry services, a caller ring-back tune, lifetime validity cards, promotional STD or SMS packs could be why your Mobile Number Portability (MNP) request is getting rejected.
In some cases, operators are asking subscribers to deactivate national roaming for the MNP request to go through. And, subscribers are realising these unwritten ‘obligations' the hard way.
According to TRAI data, at the end of April, 8.54 million users had ported operators through the MNP route.
MNP was implemented nation-wide on January 20, and within a month the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) noticed the high rate of rejection and sought explanations from telecom cellular associations.
In a communication to operators on May 24, TRAI specified that rejections should be on the basis of ‘subsisting contractual obligations', post-paid connections with bundled handsets, and corporate connections. It also said that rejections should not be made on the basis of outstanding billed amounts less than Rs 10.
However, online forums are replete with complaints about MNP requests getting rejected because of ‘contractual obligations', across service providers, beyond those stipulated by TRAI.
Business Line verified with customer care of multiple operators to find that several value-added services needed to be de-activated for the porting request to go through. Often, subscribers end up having to apply for a second porting code since each porting code, which costs Rs 19 to generate, is valid for 15 days. “We are seized of the matter and are repeatedly telling the operators to honour all valid requests for MNP. Operators cannot reject MNP requests for reasons other than those notified by TRAI. We will take further action if required,” a top TRAI official said.
RCom's President Corporate & Wireless, Customer Service, Mr Anurag Prashar, said, “While RCom had been diligently following the TRAI guidelines, we have complained to the regulator against the operators who indulge in unfair practices to prevent their subscribers from porting out.”
An Idea Cellular spokesperson said, “Contractual obligations have been defined by TRAI. Any instance of rejection of a porting request is always within the parameters laid down by TRAI.” Vodafone and Bharti Airtel did not comment.
MNP implementation has been far from smooth in the country since its launch. Mr R.K. Verma, President of Chandigarh Telecom District Telephone Subscribers Association (CTSA), said, “We have got 400-500 written complaints with regards to MNP. TRAI officials have told us that rejection rate with regard to MNP is around 25 per cent.”
(With inputs from Thomas K Thomas, New Delhi)
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