How to Change Mobile Service Operator without changing Cell Phone Number in India

Before you learn how to register for Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service in India please read this: What is Mobile Number Portability

Taking an example, let's say you wish to switch your telecom service provider from Airtel to Idea. Here's the procedure on how to switch your mobile service operator and keep your cell phone number the same:

1. Before switching over to a new service provider for Mobile number portability (MNP) in India, you will have to ensure that all your bills have been paid and that there are no outstanding dues.
Important Notes: (a) If you are a post-paid customer (you pay after getting your bill statement), then you can transfer you cell phone number only after you have paid all your dues. There should be no outstanding payments at all. (b) If you are a pre-paid customer, when you switch over to a new service provider, you will be losing all the remaining pre-paid balance in your mobile service account. This is because switching over means a termination of your earlier account.

2. What is the number to register for Mobile Number Portability in India:
Send an SMS like this: PORT [Space] Mobile number to 1900.

3. You will receive via SMS a number known as a Unique Porting Code(UPC). This UPC will have (i)Name of operator;(ii)Telecom Circle;(iii)a six digit number. So it will be an alpha-numeric number.

4. Visit an Idea service center in India (since you wish to switch to Idea). Fill in the customer application form for Mobile Number Portability, clearly mentioning the UPC. You will have to pay the requisite fee charges for porting service of Mobile Number Portability (it should not be above Rs.19/-). You will then get a SIM.

5. The Idea operator will forward your request to your present service provider (Airtel) via the Mobile Number Portability Vendor [see the names of vendors and contact information at link given at the end of this article].

6. Within 4 days of receipt of the request from Idea, the Airtel operator should approve the request. If at all Airtel rejects the request, they have to give the specific reasons for rejection (such as non-payment of dues).

7. Once Airtel has approved the request, you will be informed via SMS of the exact date and time when poring for the Mobile number portability will take place. At this time precisely, you must put in the new SIM given to you by Idea. If you don't do this, you will be all at sea because at that exact time your old SIM of Airtel will have been disconnected. The aim of this is to ensure that your mobile number is not active on two different networks at the same time. Within 2 hours the Idea Service must be activated on your mobile phone.

As you can see, the procedure to get Mobile number portability in India can be quite a time-consuming process!

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