FREE TO CHOOSE

New Delhi, Sept. 1: The government is likely to issue a request for proposal this week to select a central agency for implementing mobile number portability. The system is scheduled to be introduced by the middle of next year.

“Tender documents for a central operator are ready and the request for proposals will be issued by the end of this week,” said an official of the Department of Telecommunications.

Number portability allows mobile phone users to change service providers without having to change phone numbers.

The issue of request for proposal will be followed by a bidding process.

“Successful bidders will have to invest up to Rs 100 crore to set up clearing houses to allow number portability to take place.” said officials.

“Number portability will allow customers to freely move to an operator of their choice and enjoy low tariff, high quality of service, wide coverage and enhanced features offered by particular service providers,” the officials said.

At present, if customers are not satisfied with an operator’s services or tariffs, they will have to change their mobile numbers to shift to a new operator leading to inconvenience.

According to a survey by research firm IDC, 30 per cent of mobile subscribers are likely to shift to an operator offering better services, if given the option.

Analysts estimate that mobile service providers will have to fork out Rs 180-200 crore to roll out portability in the metros. A pan-India implementation will cost the industry over Rs 823 crore.

Prepaid fee

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today asked mobile operators to waive the processing fee on pre-paid top-up cards.

According to Trai, pre-paid mobile subscribers should get full talk time on top-up recharges, except an administrative fee that should not exceed Rs 2 per recharge and other applicable taxes.