BSNL-Chennai Telephones gets first MNP customer

Chennai: With the launch of mobile number portability (MNP) for customers across the country, a customer in Chennai will now be able to use the same number with another operator elsewhere in the country. Telecom companies say this would largely benefit those who frequently migrate from one state to another.  At present a subscriber can shift from one operator to another in the same city or State. DoT had set July 3 as the start date for all operators to implement national MNP service.

According to a BSNL-Chennai Telephones spokesperson, the teleco received an application from a customer who had been with a private operator in Karnataka and the formalities had been completed.“Within four days the customer will be part of BSNL-Chennai Telephones. We are geared up to provide full MNP across the country. For every customer who opts out of our network we get a new customer,” the spokesperson said.

Idea Cellular, one of the private telecom operators,  has announced that its subscribers retain their numbers even if they move out of a circle (city/state) and also take on new customers who wish to switch to Idea network from their current service provider. Idea has launched a toll-free number  18002700000 for customers to call in if they wish to avail themselves of the national MNP services on the Idea network.

Mr Sashi Shankar, chief marketing officer, Idea Cellular said they were confident that the strong brand stickiness and growing preference would continue to benefit them as they now extended the service on a pan-India basis enabling users switching cities to retain their number. Airtel customers can call 18001031111 to avail MNP, says the company. An online statistics says that in April 2015, a total of 3.17 million subscribers submitted their requests for intra-circle mobile number portability (MNP).