Various operators continue to come under the government?s scanner for failing to adhere to the rules of mobile number portability (MNP).
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has already filed a case against Loop Mobile in a Delhi Court on these grounds. Now, top officials from Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular were summoned by a Delhi Court for the same purpose, say news reports.
It is believed that these operators not only rejected their users? MNP requests in certain circles but also did not provide adequate information as to why the requests were rejected.
Bharti Airtel, for instance, had failed to comply with MNP norms in Karnataka, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (West), Gujarat, etc. Similarly, Idea Cellular had reportedly rejected 67 porting requests in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Madhya Pradesh, etc.
Prior to this, TRAI had amended MNP rules and had asked operators not to reject the porting requests of subscribers wanting to avail of the facility.
However, the regulator?s direction in this regard mentioned that MNP requests could be rejected as per the conditions mentioned under section 12 of the Telecommunications Mobile Number Portability Regulations.
Section 12 states that donor operators can reject porting requests if subscribers wish to retain their number while moving to a new service area and if they are made 90 days before activating a new connection.
Further, the regulator had mandated that operators can also reject porting requests if subscribers have outstanding dues and if the unique porting code mentioned in the request does not match the one given by the operator that the user wishes to leave.
The regulator had also asked operators to reject any request to cancel or withdraw the service. Prior to this, the regulations pertaining to MNP permitted users to withdraw their request to avail of MNP within 24 hours.
