How Mobile Number Portability Works : Step By Step Guide

Author: Jisa Mathew

With the facility of Mobile Number Portability, businesses can switch to a different service provider than the one they have earlier subscribed to.

Companies, on account of finding better service quality and promises from another mobile network provider, can choose them under the terms of Licensed Service Area in India without even losing the old number.

This way, if you have a scalable business and want to experience better service commitments, you can port your business phone number with little hassle.

How to approach mobile number portability (MNP)?

There are usually three basic steps to port your business phone number successfully.

  1. Pre-portability preparation
  2. Request operator to initiate the process
  3. Approval of change based on eligibility criteria

Businesses with existing mobile numbers can take advantage of having cloud telephony services. To perform simple number portability, all you need is to port your number to the right provider.

The essential steps of the MNP procedure
  1. Start by learning in detail about eligibility criteria and other conditions for porting your mobile number to a new provider. You may visit www.trai.gov.in for a detailed guide.
  2. Contact the new service provider or operator whose services you want to choose through portability.
  3. The next step is to get a Porting form and CAF (Customer Acquisition Form)to formally initiate the mobile number portability request.
  1. Once being eligible, you will need to obtain a UPC (Unique Porting Code) by sending an SMS to ‘1900’ from the mobile number you want to port. The message format would be: ‘PORT’ your 10-digit mobile number.
  2. After successfully sending the message, you will receive a message from ‘1902’ with a ‘Unique Porting Code’.
  3. Fill in the forms described in step 3.
  4. Submit the forms to the nearest available retailer or Customer service center of the new operator along with documentary proof.
  5. In case of postpaid connection, you will have to submit a paid copy of the last bill.
  6. After this, you can get a new SIM card from the new service provider.
How Operators proceed for approval
  1. Your new operator or service provider will then request the existing operator to allow the change to take place.
  2. If under given terms, the customer fails to fulfill the necessary eligibility criteria, the current operator can decide to reject the mobile number portability request.
  3. If everything goes as expected, the current operator accepts the portability request, facilitates the transfer and make required changes in the database and informs the new operator and customer.
Benefits of Mobile number portability

You might think subscribing to the service of a new network provider will affect your business momentum adversely. However, that is not true. Instead, when you have compared many service providers available in Cloud telephony market, you will gain better leverage upon selecting the one whose services truly impress you. With a mobile number portability, you enjoy the following pros:

  • Use of the existing business numbers

    The best part about business phone number portability is that you don’t necessarily need to give up your existing business numbers when you switch to another service provider. This means that your business numbers listed every directory stay intact, adding less hassle to the process.

  • Better service quality

    The process of local number portability to new service provider will directly give the benefit of enjoying better service quality along with brand assurance and affordability. When you do think of porting your number, it is advisable to choose a provider who offers seamless, uninterrupted connectivity.

  • More lead conversion

    Portability can also equally mean improved call management and prompt response, which are kind of qualities customers highly appreciate. Having a toll-free number portability, you can relish an opportunity to convert more leads into loyal customers.

  • Increased customer inquiries

    Market research confirms that toll-free numbers – 1800 – are your best chance to receive more customer inquiries since customers don’t have to pay for availing this service. This is another fruit business owners can seize by switching to elite toll-free number service providers.

  • Enhanced marketing and better advertisement

    If you have a business that needs a significant boost in growth, why not buying numbers that are easy to remember and appealing to eyes. These Vanity mobile numbers can be placed on billboards, in print media or displayed in TV ads – which further lifts your business presence and attract more customers.

  • Competitive advantage

    Entrepreneurs often feel intimidated by competition in the relevant Indian market clouding their business growth, which is fair. This is where number portability provides solace, helping businesses keep abreast of the market competition and offering them much needed injection of massive competitive advantage and confidence.