the prefix–when switching from one

ABSTRACT :
provider of mobile Tele communications
Mobile number portability allows a services to another. In the absence of MNP,
mobile subscriber to switch operators customers have to give up their number and
without changing his/her telephone number. must adopt a new one when they switch
This paper describes and analyzes mobile operators. As a result, customers face
number portability routing mechanisms and switching costs associated with informing
their implementation costs. Cost recovery people about changing their number,
issues for number portability are discussed printing new business cards, missing
in this paper from a technical perspective. valuable calls from people that do not have
We note that rules for cost recovery also the new number, etc. Based on these
depend on business and regulatory factors considerations, many regulatory authorities
that vary from country to country. have imposed mandatory MNP–or are about
to require its introduction–so as to reduce
This paper examines the
customers’ switching costs, attempting to
consequences of introducing mobile number
make mobile telecommunications more
portability (MNP). If the sole effect of
competitive The world’s first country to
introducing MNP is the abolishment of
introduce MNP was Singapore in 1997.
switching costs, MNP unambiguously
benefits mobile customers. However, if This paper introduces the concept of
MNP also causes consumer ignorance, as number portability, explains its different
telephone numbers no longer identify types and benefits, and the technical,
networks; mobile operators will increase operational, and economic issues that might
termination charges, with ambiguous net arise out of its implementation in India. The
effect on the surplus of mobile customers. specific issues such as ensuring tariff
transparency, the National Numbering Plan,
Mobile number portability (MNP)
and regulating porting charges, etc. have
requires that mobile telephone customers
been raised and will need careful
can keep their telephone number–including
consideration.

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 1

INTRODUCTION:  Number Portability Administration
Center
Number Portability will allow
subscribers to change their service provider
while retaining their old mobile number.  Service Control Point Management
Portability benefits subscribers and increases Server
the level of competition between service
providers, rewarding service providers with  Local Service Management System
the best customer service, network coverage,
and service quality.
 Signal Transfer Point

Number Portability:  Service Switching Point

Definition :
 Service Control Point
Number portability is a
telecommunications network feature that
enables end users to retain their telephone
numbers when changing service providers,
service types, and/or locations

Types:

There are three basic types of number

portability-

 Service operator Portability Service Order Administration

 Location Portability (SOA)
 Service Portability
 Serves as an interface element between
carriers' order and provisioning systems
7 Basic components required to
deploy MNP and the Number Portability
Administration Center (NPAC).

 Service Order Administration

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 2

 SOA's primary functions include services between the LSMS and the
subscription audit request or SCP.
management, data administration, data  The SCP MS may or may not be
transfer to the NPAC, report generation, physically integrated with the SCP.
bulk file parse and upload, subscription
tracking, legacy order entry interface,
Local Service Management System
and logging.

 The Local Service Management System

Number Portability Administration (LSMS) is a fault-tolerant hardware and
Center (NPAC)
software platform that contains database
with routing information to ported
 Number Portability Administration
telephone numbers.
Center (NPAC) is a third-party,
 The primary functions of the LSMS are
neutral database administration
subscription management, network data
function that supports number
management, service provider data
portability.
management, error processing and
 This database is designed to receive
notification, transaction event logging
information from both incumbent
and reporting,transmission of
and new service providers, validate
activation/deactivation events to the
that info. and download the new
network elements, and audits
routing information when a customer
has been physically connected to the
Number Portability Database
new service provider's network.

The Number Portability Database

(NPDB) contains all ported numbers
Service Control Point Management
within a ported domain as well as
System (SCP MS)
routing info. necessary to support
number portability. Its function is to
 The Service Control Point Management
provide the association between the
System (SCP MS) provides interface
called party and the carrier LRN,

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 3

 identifying the switch to which the call
should be routed.

Signal Transfer Point (STP) Working of MNP

 The Signal Transfer Point (STP)

All Cell phones have special codes.
receives the LRN query from the These codes identify the phone, the

SSP/MSC, routes it to the appropriate phone’s owner, & the service provider.
Cell phones use high frequency radio
NPDB, and returns a response to the
signals to communicate with cell towers
originating SSP/MSC.) located throughout the calling area.

 The basic core functionality of the STP These phones operate in the frequency

as a network message router has not range of 806-890 MHz.

been impacted.

Service Switching Point or Mobile

Switch Center

 The Service Switching Point/Mobile

Switch Center (SSP/MSC) is owned and
operated by the exchange carrier.

 These switch points must be able to

generate a LNP query to the NPDB
when a call is placed to a telephone
number in a ported domain.

 A ported domain here is defined as a

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) that
has implemented number portability

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 4

 Technical Solutions

Porting Process : o Number Pooling

o Number portability
database (NPDB)

o Routing Mechanisms

Routing Mechanisms:

Reasons Behind MNP or

Advantages
 Price war
 Competition on price instead of
differentiated services
 Heavy marketing campaigns, free
giveaways and airtime
MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 5
  Ban on handset subsidies dialers. They would also dial fewer wrong
 As well as SIM-locked phones and numbers and make fewer directory inquiries
long service contracts
 Single-rate call plans
MNP Implementation Status:
 Easy and costless MNP process
for end-users

 MNP should reduce switching costs

and strengthen competition

Number portability subscriber

benefits may be categorized as:

a. Type 1 benefits
..Accrue to subscribers who
retain their telephone number when
switching an operator, and include cost
savings from having to change mobile
number. Such subscribers are able to avoid
the costs of reprinting stationary, informing
callers, changing signs and lost business.

b. Type 2 benefits Overview of Technical Choices in

..Are those that arise out of Other Countries :
efficiency and service quality improvements
and any associated price reductions resulting Call routing to ported mobile
from increased competition. numbers planned or adopted in European

c. Type 3 benefits countries vary considerably in technique.

..Are those that accrue to callers Table below illustrates this variation across

to porting users who are able to avoid the various countries and for which information

need to change entries in their diaries, is available:

directories, databases and abbreviated

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 6

Routing from a Routing from a Table 4.2: Technical solutions for MNP
fixed network to a mobile network to used in various countries
mobile network another mobile
network
Belgium All call All call Conclusion :
query query &
query on MNP does not generate churn, it
release only removes one barrier from the way of
Denmark All call All call free. As such, it brings challenges and
query & query &
opportunities for old and new
query on query on
release release telecommunications providers.
Finland Onward Onward
To be successful in the competitive
routing routing
telecommunications environment, carriers
France Phase 1: phase 1:
onward onward have to carefully analyze their network and
routing, routing, administrative infrastructures, select the best
phase 2: all phase 2: all
MNP solution for their needs and exploit the
call query call query
benefits of increased customer choice that
Germany Onward All call
routing & query NP provides.
all call
query
Hungary All call Phase 1:
query & onward References :
query on routing & all
release call query, [1] Aoki, R. and J. Small (1999), The
phase 2: all economics of number portability:
call query
Switching
Ireland Onward All call
routing query costs and two-part tariffs, working
Italy Onward All call paper, University of Auckland.
routing & query
all call
query
[2] INTUG (2003), Mobile Number
Portability ,International
Telecommunications

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 7

 User Group (INTUG): of Singapore, August 2003.
[www.intug.net/mnp].
[9] EU, 2005. Regulatory framework for
electronic communications in the

[3] Numpac Oy, 2004. Company web-site. European Union

Available at: http://www.numpac.fi http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/lib
eralization/

legIslation/regulatory_framework.pdf
[4] Consultation Paper on Mobile
Number Portability, Consultation Paper [10] FCC, 1996. Telecommunications Act
No. of 1996, Pub. LA.No. 104-104, 110

7/2005, Telecom Regulatory Authority Stat. 56 (1996).

of India, New Delhi: July 22, 2005. http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html

[11] FICORA 46 B/2004 M. Regulation on

telephone number portability
[5] T. Smura, Mobile Number Portability:
Case Finland, http://keskus.hut.fi Available at:
http://www.ficora.fi/englanti/document/
/opetus/
FICORA46B2004M.pdf
s38042/s04/Presentations/06102004_Smur
a/Smura_paper.pdf. [12] IT- og Telestyrelsen (ITST) Denmark

[6] Paper by Stefan Buehler, University of

Zurich and University of St. Gallen.

[7] Paper by Justus Haucap. Ruhr-

University of Bochum

[8] Information paper: MNP in

Singapore, Infocomm Development
Authority

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY Page 8