An Insight into Mobile Number Portability

Mamta Swaroop Sharan

Technical Solutions Manager

Comptel

What is MNP?

Number portability concept applies for landline as well as the mobile telephone numbers, where the user retains his telephone number and changes the service provider. It follows two methodologies. First is 'Recipient-Led' porting wherein the International and European standard for Number Porting allows a customer wishing to port his/her number to contact the new provider (Recipient) who will then arrange necessary process with the old provider (Donor). The second is 'Donor-Led' porting - UK standard expects the customer to contact the Donor to obtain a Porting Authorization Code (PAC) which he/she then has to give to the Recipient. Once having received the PAC the Recipient continues the port process by contacting the Donor.

-> 'Donor-Led' has been criticized by some industry analysts as being inefficient.

-> It may act as a customer deterrent as well; allowing the Donor an opportunity of 'winning-back' the customer.

Turnaround time

Prior to March 2008 it took a minimum of 5 working days to port a number in the UK compared to 2 hours only in USA, as low as 20 minutes in the Republic of Ireland, 3 minutes in Australia and even a matter of seconds in New Zealand. On 17 July 2007, Ofcom released its conclusions from the review of UK MNP and mandated reduction of porting time to 2 working days with effect from 1 April 2008. On 29 November 2007, Ofcom completed its consultation on further reduction to porting time to 2 hours along with recipient led porting and mandated that near-instant (no more than 2 hours) recipient led porting be implemented by no later than 1 September 2009 and for all other (fixed and mobile) ported calls by no later than 31 December 2012.

How it works

The technical aspect of MNP (Mobile Number Portability) is to deal with the routing of calls (Voice, Video) and mobile messages (SMS, MMS) to a number once it has been ported. International and European best practice is the use of a "Central Database (CDB) of Ported Numbers". Network operators generally hold local copies of CDB and query it to find out which network to send a call to. This is also known as All Call Query (ACQ). ACQ/CDB is highly efficient and scalable. Majority of the established and upcoming MNP systems across the world are based on this ACQ/CDB method of call routing.

One of the very few countries to not use ACQ/CDB is the UK where calls to a number once it has been ported are still routed via the Donor network - 'Indirect Routing'. Indirect Routing is a waste of transmission and switching capacity. Indirect Routing also means that if the Donor network develops a fault or goes out of business, the customers who have ported out of that network will lose incoming calls to their numbers.

MNP Infrastructure

Service providers and carriers, who route messages and voice calls to MNP-enabled countries, might use HLR query services to find out the correct network of a mobile phone number. A number of such services exist, which query the operator's home location register (HLR) over the SS7 signaling network in order to determine the current network of a specified mobile phone number prior to attempt routing of messaging or voice traffic.

An effective MNP system requires a database having information of the networks and associated imported or exported numbers. In India, central as well as regional databases are being planned. Most countries have a centralized database service managed by a neutral third party.

A centralized clearing house for electronically processing the importing / exporting requests also needs to be setup, to minimize the time to port (i.e. to transfer the numbers from one network to another).

The number database is managed by a neutral third party. The cost of the database is to be borne by each operator depending on the strength of their subscribers i.e. depending on their market share.

Regulations - MNP

• The mobile number should have been with the current service provider for a term of 90 days or more. This prevents frequent change of provider and reduces the load on the porting database.
• A non-refundable fee, not exceeding Rs. 19 is to be paid to the gaining provider for every porting transaction. This is due to the fact that the gaining provider has to complete more formalities than if they get a new subscription.
• The porting request may be cancelled within 24-hours of making the application, but the porting fee will be non-refundable.
• The portability of the number will be restricted only to a given license service area / circle within a zone. You will not be allowed to shift your number to a provider in another zone/region.
• Post-paid customers can transfer their numbers only if they have cleared all outstanding payments.
• Pre-paid customers, who transfer their numbers to a different provider, will forfeit the remaining pre-paid balance in their account, just as if they were terminating their account.
• The gaining provider is not bound to pay any deposits or out-standings which are due from the old provider.
• Porting of the concerned mobile number has not been prohibited by a Court of Law.

MNP - Operational Hurdles & Challenges

• Handset portability from GSM to CDMA type of networks
• Constant updating of the database to keep it consistent
• SMS routing (i. e. forwarding SMS's between networks)
• Routing of Long Distance (National / International) calls
• Altering the National Numbering Plan (which maintains the number format and series allocation of phone numbers for different services)
• Cooperation of all stakeholders and mobile phone service providers
• Dispute Resolution Machinery and Guidelines for mobile service providers
• Coordinated billing for multi-mode facilities
• Porting Fees and guidelines

MNP in India - A Snapshot

• INDIA -

-> Implementation date - 2010/11/01

-> Time to port - 3 days

-> Price - 19 Rs

-> Syniverese and Telecordia have installed database servers.

-> MNP is expected to be launched in India on 31 October 2010.

-> DoT said that Operators must ensure that all inter-operator tests for porting the numbers from one service provider to another are completed by September 1, 2010, failing which they will be barred from launching any new services from September 1.

-> This announcement comes as mobile service providers get ready to launch high-speed 3G services next month.

The MNP was to be implemented by December 31, 2009 in all metros and in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and later in the rest of the country. The deadline was first extended to March 31, 2010 and then to October 31, 2010.

MNP - Technical Terminology

• "Access Provider" means any Telephony Service Provider.
• "Porting" means process of moving (by a subscriber) a mobile number(s) from one Access Provider to another Access Provider.
• "Donor Operator" "means an Access Provider to whose network the number belongs at the time subscriber makes a porting request.
• "Recipient Operator" means an Access Provider who will be providing the service to the subscriber after porting.
• "Porting charge" means such charge as may be levied by a Recipient Operator from a subscriber for porting his mobile number.
• "Mobile Number Portability Service provider" means an entity that has been granted a license for providing MNP Services.
• "Per Port Transaction charge" means the charge payable by the Recipient Operator to the MNP Service provider for processing the porting request in respect of a mobile number.
• "Local Number Portability Database" means the database of all ported mobile numbers maintained by an Access Provider and an International Long Distance Operator.
• "Location Routing Number " means the code assigned to every Access Provider for the purpose of implementing Mobile Number Portability
• "Unique Porting Code" means an alphanumeric code allocated, upon request, by an Access Provider to its subscriber for the purpose of facilitation of porting of his mobile number.
• "Dipping" means use of query response system of the Mobile Number Portability Service provider for obtaining Location Routing Number for routing a message to the called number.
• "Dipping charge" means the charge payable by an Access Provider or an International Long Distance Operator, to the Mobile Number Portability Service provider for each dipping.
• "Number Portability Database" means the database maintained by each Mobile Number Portability Service provider in electronic form, holding the details of all ported mobile numbers in its zone, along with the complete history of all transactions relating to the porting of such numbers.
• "No Service Period" means the period of time between the disconnection of the mobile telephone service to the porting subscriber by the Donor Operator and the activation of mobile telephone service, on porting, by the Recipient Operator.