The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced significant changes to Mobile Number Portability (MNP) regulations, set to take effect on July 1, 2024. These amendments, outlined in the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability (Ninth Amendment) Regulations, 2024, aim to address the growing concern of fraudulent SIM swap and replacement activities.
Under the new guidelines, TRAI has redefined SIM swap or replacement as the process where an existing subscriber acquires a new SIM card to replace a lost or non-functional one. The regulatory body has also reaffirmed the MNP facility, which allows users to retain their mobile numbers when switching service providers within the country.
In a bid to enhance the MNP process, TRAI has introduced additional criteria for rejecting Unique Porting Code (UPC) allocation requests. Notably, the waiting period for UPC allocation following a SIM swap or replacement has been reduced from ten to seven days.
This adjustment comes after careful consideration of stakeholder feedback. While some industry players advocated for maintaining the 10-day waiting period, others pushed for a shorter timeframe of two to four days, citing potential inconvenience to subscribers requiring urgent porting.
TRAI explained that these modifications are specifically designed to curb the fraudulent porting of mobile numbers through deceptive SIM swap or replacement tactics employed by unscrupulous elements.
It’s worth noting that the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulations, 2009, have undergone eight previous amendments to keep pace with evolving industry needs and technological advancements.
As the July 1 implementation date approaches, telecom operators and subscribers alike are advised to familiarize themselves with these new regulations.
