keep your Mobile number unchanged

Number portability:

Both CDMA and GSM operators on August23 came out in support of introducing mobile number portability but differed on the timing of the launch, which would allow subscribers to change their mobile operator without changing the number.

While Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices have written to the Communication and IT Minister urging the Government to introduce the platform immediately, the rival GSM camp which includes Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and Idea said that number portability should be introduced at a later stage as the priority at the moment was to increase the tele-density of the country. GSM operators cite at a time when the sector requires investments worth Rs 50,000 crore for improving the mobile coverage in rural areas, introducing number portability right now would prove to be a drain on the operators resources. As per COAI’s estimate, implementing number portability could cost as much as Rs 3,000 crore, which can instead be used to set up a few thousand towers in remote areas.