The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued (pdf) a new directive to existing mobile operators, asking them to stop accepting porting requests from customers of telecom operators whose licences were cancelled by the landmark Supreme Court judgment last year, which led to the cancellation of licenses controversially allocated under Telecom Minister A. Raja’s regime in September 2008. TRAI has also directed Mobile Number Portability Service providers like Syniverse Technologies and MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions India to not process these mobile number portability requests. The organization noted that this direction was issued to operators since the license agreement regulations states that existing telcos cannot provide Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service to telcos whose licences have been terminated, suspended or not operational. Affected Telcos: As per the direction, TRAI has asked operators to stop accepting porting requests from three circles of Tata Teleservices, 15 circles of Uninor, 11 circles of Videocon Telecommunications, 13 circles of Loop Telecom, 15 circles of Etisalat, 5 circles of S Tel and 10 circles of Sistema Shyam Teleservices (MTS India). Note that all these telcos had already announced that it will be closing operations in the respective circles over the past year. 2G Spectrum Allocation Timeline Here’s a timeline of events following the Supreme Court Verdict in the 2G Spectrum Allocation Scam case: - Feb 2, 2012: Supreme Court cancels 122 licenses of 22 operators and directed the Government to conduct fresh auctions for sale of the spectrum within a period of four months, asking the TRAI to come up with fresh recommendations. - March 5, 2012: The Indian…
