MNP gets govt approval in India

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After a series of postponement and hassles that surrounded the implementation of Mobile number portability in India, the service seems to have come a step closer to reality as Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given clearance to one of the companies selected to oversee the process.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) selected Telcordia joint venture MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions (MITS) India in March 2009. The move was taken to administer MNP in southern and eastern states, however, the ministry revealed in December 2009 there were security concerns over the ownership structure of MITS.

As a result of the delays caused by the reconsideration of the company’s status the launch of MNP would be pushed back from a March deadline to May. After the revelation that the ministry had reissued the clearance for MITS at a meeting held by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), the new timeframe looks reasonable.

After reexamining the matter, no objection has been conveyed by the ministry to the proposal subject to addressal of the certain issues. According to MHA, suitable conditions are imposed to ensure that the equipment and services provided to India or to any Indian associate company would have no connection with its operating company in Pakistan.