Mobile Number Portability service launched at Tk 158

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) services, which allow mobile phone numbers to remain unchanged even after changing operators, has been launched commercially on a trial service.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Acting Chairman Md Jahurul Haque announced the launch of the service at a press conference on Monday.

Seventeen people have changed operators since the start of the service on the first day. Mobile phone users will pay a total of Tk 158, including a charge and the SIM replacement tax.

Though the launch is on a ‘test commercial basis’, the BTRC chairman said that users will be able to make full use of the service.

MNP service license holder Infozillion BD Teletech Managing Director Mabroor Hossain, CEO Mohammad Zulfikar and top BTRC officials attended the event.

Bangladesh-Slovenian consortium Infozillion received the licence last November. Though the servie was to be launched in August it was pushed backt o October due to network and permit difficulties.

According to Infozillion, users who want to change operators will have to pick up a new SIM at the operators’ service centre after paying a fee. The process will take a maximum of five minutes, the company said, and the change should be implemented within 72 hours.

Users who wish to change operators once again will have to wait 90 days before they can reuse the MNP service.

The government hopes the MNP will lead to greater competition in the market and improved services.

According to the BTRC, currently 72 countries across the world currently offer MNP services. India began MNP services in 2011 and Pakistan launched them in 2007.