Trai begins review of transaction charges involved in telecom network port-outs

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Friday began a review of transaction charges involved in network port-outs, in the backdrop of the recent revamp of the mobile number portability (MNP) rules and processes.

The regulator, through a consultation paper, has sought stakeholders' views on whether the 'per port transaction charges', currently pegged at up to Rs 4, should continue to be computed as per the existing methodology or be moved to a new methodology.

The 'per port transaction charge' refers to the amount payable by the recipient operator to the MNP service provider for processing each porting request of a mobile subscriber.

Trai has posed half a dozen questions, including whether the total number of port-out requests received by MNP service provider or successfully ported numbers should be considered for calculating 'per port transaction charge'.

"...the authority has initiated this consultation paper to review the per port transaction charge, charges for ancillary services and other related charges for mobile number portability," Trai said in a statement.

It has also sought views on whether or not 'porting charge' payable by the telecom subscriber to the recipient telecom company should continue to be prescribed as a ceiling rate, as is the current practice.

Since January 2018, the ceiling of 'per port transaction charge' leviable from subscriber has stood at Rs 4, although recipient operators can charge lesser amount from the subscriber for MNP.

"As per the prevailing practice, operators are not charging this amount from the subscribers," the consultation paper said.

Trai has sought written comments on the consultation paper by March 15 and the timeline for counter-comments has been set at March 22.