The Ministry of Communications and IT is planning to introduce fixed number portability. This will allow a subscriber to retain his/her number even while switching to a new service provider.

The department of telecommunications (DoT) is already in the process of implementing mobile number portability in the four metros, which will be available in the four cities by the end of this month. In the absence of number portability, a large number of subscribers stick to their operators even if they are not satisfied with the services because of the hassles involved in changing the number.

“Fixed number portability will be of great help to consumers as it will increase quality of services and bring down prices,” said A Raja, minister for communications and IT. Sources said that the DoT will soon start working on the fixed number portability.

DoT officials are waiting for the ongoing spectrum controversy to be over and licences to be issued to new players.

DoT has already awarded licences for national-wide GSM mobile services to five new players — Reliance, Tata, Datacom, Shyam Sistema, and Unitech. Idea has also been issued licence to operate GSM mobile services 12 new circles.

Therefore, with five new GSM players and number portability — both mobile and fixed — the consumer is set to gain. subscribers will have more choice in terms of service providers as well as can migrate fixed line services to other operators who provide better services.

Presently, government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) have close to 90 per cent marketshare.

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