India’s telecom regulator TRAI suggests removing the mandatory 90 days lock-in period for porting-out a mobile number to another network, in case a telco is shutting down its services or upgrading its technology (e.g. from CDMA to 4G), in a consultation paper (pdf) titled “Issues related to Closure of Access Services”. It also suggested extending notice period given to subscribers to 60 days from the current 30 days, in case of closure or migration of a cellular network. The regulator said it received several complaints from subscribers who did not “receive adequate communication from their service provider” before upgradation to a new technology or shutting down of service in an area. This has led to several subscribers losing their mobile numbers permanently. Therefore in the interest of consumers, TRAI made some additional suggestions to ensure that subscribers are not affected in case their service provider is shutting down/upgrading networks. The regulator asks: In case a subscriber chooses to remain with the same telco under its newer/upgraded technology, “it needs to be examined whether any unused core talk-time balance should be forwarded along with the remaining validity”. If postpaid customers should be allowed to retain their tariff rates, data balance, talk-time rate mentioned in their plan during the migration to new technology. Can there be any alternative mechanism that allows the bulk transfer of all the subscribers from one TSP to other; “particularly those subscribers who have not been able to port-out before the closure of services.” In case of network…
