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India is going to witness another milestone in Communication history. The much awaited Mobile Number Portability service will be launched tomorrow. Press Information Bureau, India has confirmed the launching date for 25th November, 2010. This big step will be flagged off by our honorable Union Minister of Communications & IT Shri Kapil Sibal with Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Chief Minister of Haryana. Haryana will be the first state of India to encounter this big launch. Rest of the Indian state people will have to wait until any announcement by Press Information Bureau. What is Mobile Number Portability service? A mobile phone subscriber can change their service provider at their own will while retaining their old numbers. What will be the outcome of MNP? A big battle between mobile service provider. The company who will provide better network connectivity with competitive tariff plans will gain more customer retention. MNP will be big winning for the subscriber. How to switch your telecom service provider? As per Press Information Bureau press release: For change of service provider (minimum period of 90 days has elapsed after subscription to the mobile service of the current service provider) i.e. porting, a subscriber has to send an SMS (PORTMobile Number) from the number he wishes to be ported, to number 1900 whereby a Unique Porting Code (UPC) will be received on SMS from his current service provider. The subscriber will need to apply in the prescribed application form to the chosen new service provider quoting the UPC which will act as a reference while filling up the application form with new service provider. The new service provider will then take action to get the required processes completed to enable the subscriber to get connected to his network. Porting has to be completed within 7 working days. TRAI has put a ceiling of Rs. 19/- on porting charges which the new service provider may collect from the subscriber. Post-paid subscribers before making the porting request, have to make sure that their last bill has been paid failing which the request for change to new service provider shall be rejected. In the case of pre-paid subscriber any balance amount left will not be carried forward when the number is transferred to the new service provider. So, it’s a switch time, select your best provider, but retain the same number.