Mobile Number Portability Costs BSNL, MTNL 6.5 Lakh Subscribers

On January 20 this year, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, flagged off what later proved to be one of the most widely accepted norms in the Indian mobile sector. The Mobile Number Portability or MNP allowed users to switch to the service provider of their choice, while maintaining their existing cell phone number. Users who didn’t quite appreciate the services of their existing service providers, but found the exercise of buying a whole new number to be hassling, now had a chance to make a switch at once without the worry. Soon, every mobile service provider in the country began offering the MNP option with gusto. 

Competing with MNP( Image credit: indolinkenglish.wordpress.com)

However, just where the private players began profiting and earning from a decent migration of subscribers from other providers to theirs; players like BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) and MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) started witnessing a negative trend with hordes of subscribers moving to private players and state-run BSNL and MTNL saw their subscriber base dipping.

According to reports, almost 9.33 lakh subscribers moved out of the BSNL camp, while approximately 67,198 subscribers from MTNL moved to other private players. This is in contrast to 3,49,489 and 11,593 subscribers joining the networks of BSNL and MTNL respectively. Now both BSNL and MTNL are employing new, probably better means to reach out to their customers. A special cell has also been formed by the two service providers, so that they can better address the issues that their customers are facing. Users who're willing to move over to BSNL wouldn't have to pay any porting fees, whatsoever. Additionally, the places at which users could make their payments have been increased. Lastly, there is a drop noticed in the tariff rates of both BSNL, as well as MTNL.

We'll just have to wait and see if the above moves from the state-run services will entice users.