TRAI Cuts Mobile Number Port Out Charges by 79 Percent to Rs 4

The TRAI has issued The Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Per Port Transaction Charge and Dipping Charge (Amendment) Regulations, 2018 (03 of 2018) thereby reducing the Per Port Transaction Charge of Rs 19 to Rs 4 for each successful porting. TRAI had initiated a consultation process to review MNP charges in mid-December, and followed it up with an open house discussion on the issue on January 16.

After taking into consideration the comments received from stakeholders during the consultation process and other relevant facts, the authority has decided that the per port transaction charge may be reduced as the costs of operations of Mobile Number Portability Service Providers (MNPSPs) have substantially gone down and the volume of MNP traffic has increased.

The new charges will come into force from the date of notification in the official gazette. Now, with notification of this amendment to the aforesaid regulations, the ceiling of charges leviable from subscriber stands automatically reduced to Rs 4. However, recipient operators are free to charge a lesser amount from the subscriber for mobile number portability.