India ushered in Mobile Number Portability that will allow cellphone users to switch operators without changing numbers, with Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal launching the service in Haryana.

The rest of India would get to use MNP from January 20, next year.

The consumer-friendly service was mooted over two years ago and was supposed to be implemented by the end of 2009.

However, the schedule for implementation had to be deferred several times, owing to reasons ranging from the lack of preparedness of operators to delays in the appointment of an agency to oversee execution of the MNP project.

Speaking on the occasion, Sibal said that giving consumers the option of switching service providers will result in healthy competition.

With this launch, the customers in Haryana will now have the option of changing their service provider without changing their mobile number. At present, there are eight mobile operators in Haryana: Airtel, Idea Cellular, BSNL, Aircel, Loop, Vodafone, Etisalat and Videocon.

Customers will have to pay a maximum of Rs 19 to an operator to change their network and the new operator has the option to either waive the fee or reduce it. However, a consumer will have to remain with one operator for a minimum period of three months in order to avail the MNP service.

Both pre-paid and post-paid consumers can use MNP.

Sibal said the process of migrating the 21 remaining licence service areas in the country to the MNP environment was underway. For orderly migration of the complex, interconnected networks, each of the remaining service areas will be migrated one-by-one on alternate days, he said.

This will enable simultaneous validation of technical parameters and removal of any problems arising from migration activities to ensure a successful and smooth transition in each service area.

Migration activities will not take place during the festival season at the end of December, 2010.

MNP will bring about a much required change in the quality of services, as well as attitude of operators towards redressal of grievances in order to retain subscribers.

As per the eligibility criteria for MNP, customers are required to have cleared all of their outstanding bills before making an application, the Department of Telecom (DoT) said.

It also said the mobile number sought to be ported should not be subjudice and there should not be any pending request for change of ownership of the mobile number. .

The DoT has claimed that the entire process of switching operators will take a maximum of seven days and subscribers may face disruption of services for about two hours during that period.

The one-time charge that needs to be paid by subscribers would differ from operator-to-operator, but the charge cannot exceed Rs 19, the DoT said.

India has more than 700 million subscribers across the country, with nearly 10 operators in each circle.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot said the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is making all-out efforts to bridge the rural urban divide through telecom technology.

He said India is now ushering in an era of convergence of technology and mobile applications which will enable us to ensure delivery of quality services to rural and far-flung, remote areas.

Hooda said the launch of Mobile Number Portability certainly marks a commendable step in giving subscribers more choice.

While thanking Sibal for choosing Haryana to rollout MNP, Hooda said this was a feather in the state's cap and was a matter of pride for its people.

The Chief Minister said Haryana is a small state, but is progressing in all spheres.

He said Sibal would come to the state again soon to lay the foundation stone of the Science City Project at Sampla.

The state government has proposed to set up a Science City at Sampla, on NH-10, in Rohtak district. The local municipal council has offered to provide 30 acres of land free of cost for this project.

A proposal to this effect has already been submitted to the Union Ministry of Culture, he said.

DoT Secretary R Chandrashekhar said on the occasion that the facility will intensify competition between service providers, both in respect of the quantity and quality of service, as well as in terms of tariffs.

Congress MP from Rohtak, Deepender Singh Hooda, demanded that roaming in areas of the state falling in the NCR, like Sonepat, Rohtak and Jhajjar , should be made free for cellphone subscribers.