New Delhi,
Facing complaints from mobile phone users regarding inconvenience in parting their numbers to other service providers following some of the operators shutting shop, telecom regulator TRAI on Friday initiated the process to overhaul the mobile number portability system.

It came out with a “Consultation Paper” seeking views of the stakeholders and others on how to go about overhauling the present system. MNP process allows users to port out to network of other operators without changing the mobile number.

Consequent upon closure/discontinuation of services, TRAI has received large number of complaints related to the difficulties faced by subscribers of these service providers in porting their mobile numbers, the regulator said.

It has sought written comments from stakeholders by May 3, and has set May 17 as the deadline for counter comments on the issue.

“The major issues are non-generation of UPC by the donor operator or non-receipt of UPC by the subscriber, multiple-time rejection of porting requests by donor operators on various grounds prescribed in regulation 12 of the MNP regulations, instances of fraudulent porting, issuance of interim bills for postpaid subscribers, non-refund of the prepaid balance and security deposits of post-paid subscribers,” the statement said.

Due to recent closure of services by some of the operators, new issues as mentioned above have also emerged,” TRAI said.