The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced a few changes in the
mobile number portability
(MNP) rules as the government looks to curb SIM-related frauds. As per the latest amendment, the telecom regulator says that if a SIM card has been swapped or replaced, the associated mobile number cannot be ported out to a different telecom operator for seven days.
The amendment – ninth since the inception of MNP regulations – is aimed at curbing the practice of porting of mobile numbers by way of
fraudulent SIM swap
in the country or replacement by unscrupulous elements.
The new rules will be applicable from July 1.
The regulator provided details about the amendment last week and it also introduced an additional criterion for rejection of the request for allocation of a Unique Porting Code (UPC). This code is essential for transferring a mobile number from one telecom operator to another.
As per the new rules, the UPC should not be allocated if the request for UPC has been made before the expiry of seven days from the date of the
SIM swap
or replacement of the mobile number.
How users can switch mobile their provider
MNP is a facility that allows a user to move from one telecom operator to another operator – irrespective of geographical area – if he/ she is not satisfied with the services of his current operator. To do this, users must generate a UPC at the point of sale of the recipient operator.
To get started, SMS the word ‘PORT’ (which shall be case-insensitive) followed by a space and the ten-digit mobile number which is to be ported, to 1900. A UPC will be received through SMS on the mobile of the subscriber. It can be used to place an MNP request.
