Jio and Airtel are set to increase tariffs from July 3. Vodafone Idea (Vi) will follow suit from July 4. Prices of both prepaid and postpaid plans are set to go up substantially. Jio’s tariff hike across various plans ranges from 12-27 percent while Airtel has announced a 10-21 per cent hike in mobile tariffs. Both Jio and Airtel have also increased the entry-barrier for subscribers to use their unlimited 5G services, making them exclusive to plans with 2GB/day data and above. Vi’s price hike meanwhile ranges from 11-24 percent.
It is only obvious to factor in all your options and then decide if you want to change plans or your telecom provider altogether. Changing your mobile service provider without losing your existing phone number has become remarkably simple today. This process, known as Mobile Number Portability (MNP), ensures that you can switch carriers while keeping your number.
Porting your number not only allows you to retain your contacts, it helps you avoid the hassle of updating your information across multiple platforms and services. Not to mention, it saves you the trouble of resharing your new number to your contacts. It also gives you the flexibility to choose a carrier that offers better plans, coverage, or customer service. Porting your SIM without losing your number is a straightforward process that can save you time and effort.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to port your SIM without losing your number:
- Check eligibility: Before starting the porting process, ensure that your number is eligible first. Generally, your current number should be active for at least 90 days with the existing carrier. Also, ensure that there are no outstanding dues or unresolved issues with your current provider.
- Choose a new carrier: Research other carriers (not many telecom operators in India, so this should be easy) to find the one that best meets your needs and budget. Compare their plans, coverage, and customer service. Once you’ve chosen a new carrier, visit their store or website to initiate the porting process.
- Generate a porting code: To port your number, you need a Unique Porting Code (UPC). This can be obtained by sending an SMS with the word “PORT” followed by your 10-digit mobile number to 1900. You will receive a UPC from your current carrier. It is typically valid for 15 days.
- Submit the porting request: Complete the Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) and Porting Form for your chosen operator, including the valid UPC. Submit the necessary payment and KYC documents, and collect your new SIM from the operator at their customer service centre or Point of Sale. You will receive a confirmation message from the MNP service provider regarding your porting request. There is a 24-hour withdrawal window in case you change your mind.
- Wait for process completion: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) states that porting within a Licensed Service Area (LSA) takes 3 working days, while porting between different LSAs (say for instance Delhi, Mumbai) takes 5 working days. Corporate numbers also require 5 working days. There are 22 LSAs in the country. For Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, and North East LSAs, porting takes up to 15 working days. You will get an SMS with the porting date and time. This usually occurs at night. Service disruption will be a maximum of 4 hours.
- Insert the new SIM: Upon successful porting, you will need to insert the new SIM card provided by your new carrier. Activate the SIM.
- Verify, start using new SIM: Once your new SIM is activated, verify that your number has been successfully ported. Test by making calls and sending messages. If there is any issue, contact your new carrier’s customer service for further assistance.
New MNP guidelines
TRAI has recently announced changes to its mobile number portability (MNP) rules. If a SIM card has been swapped or replaced, the associated number cannot be ported to a different service provider for seven days. The idea is to prevent and reduce the increasing cases of SIM swap fraud in the country.
Additionally, TRAI has rolled out a new criterion for rejecting the request for a Unique Porting Code (UPC). A UPC request will be denied if made within seven days of the SIM swap or replacement.
These new rules will come into effect from July 1.
