In a development that will harm the interests of mobile subscribers, the number portability scheme, which was set to be launched in June 2009, may get delayed. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has extended the date for issuing clarifications to bidders’ queries by a month. The same are now expected to be issued on January 22.
Until DoT issues clarifications to the bidders’ queries, it may not initiate the process of accepting applications from firms to act as agencies for porting numbers. Earlier the 3G auction was too delayed by around a fortnight and looks set to be delayed further.
The delay in Number Portability is Good for incumbent players like Bharti Airtel which is trying to squeeze as much as possible from customers with their high billing rates.
