Mobile Number Portability in India

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY IN INDIA– AN OVERVIEW

Prepared by Learntelecom.com

Contents1. INTRODUCTION

2. PROJECT BACKGROUND

3. MNP PRINCIPLE IN INDIA

4. HIGH LEVEL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE FOR MNP SOLUTION

4.1. Central Side- MNPO (Mobile Number Portability Operator)

4.2. Operator Side (Service Providers)

5. MNP TERMINOLOGY

6. PORTING PROCESS FLOW

7. POST MNP VOICE CALL FLOW

8. POST MNP SMS FLOW

9. PROCEDURE TO SWITCH SERVICE PROVIDER IN INDIA

10. Reference

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List of Figures

Figure 1 HIGH LEVEL MNP

ARCHITECTURE Figure 2 END TO

END PORTING PROCESS

Figure 3 End to End Call Flow for ported Number

Figure 4 POST MNP SMS FLOW FOR PORTED NUMBER



Document Prepared by Shri

1. INTRODUCTIONThe much awaited MNP (Mobile Number Portability) finally launched on 20th Jan 2011 in India, empowering mobile phone consumers to change service provider

conveniently.Mobile Number Portability (MNP) allows the mobile subscribers to retain the existing mobile phone number when the subscriber switches from one access service provider (Operator) to

another irrespective of mobile technology or from one technology to another of the same or any other access service provider, in a licensed service area.

2. PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe projected was started long back in India. The first mile stone came when The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued draft Regulations to facilitate Mobile

Number Portability (MNP) implementation in India and

submitted recommendations to DoT on 8th March 2006. The draft regulations lay down the business process for implementing mobile number portability.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) had accepted TRAI’s recommendations on 10th December 2007. DoT had also accepted the suggestion of TRAI that a Steering Committee be formed under the aegis ofTRAI, to deliberate upon various issues involved in the

submitted to DoT for initiating the process for MNPO (Mobile Number Portability Operator). Subsequently, the DoT issued guidelines for MNP service license on1st August 2008. The DoT guidelines envisagedgeographical division of the country into the two Number Portability Zones (Zone 1 – North West & Zone 2 – South East), each consisting of 11 licensed service area.

DoT issued the tender Document on 25th November2008 for MNPO. Based on the selection parameters set in the guidelines for MNP service license, one MNP service licensee in each zone was selected. M/s Syniverse Technologies(I) Pvt. Ltd was granted license for operating in Zone-1 (North-West India) and M/s MNP Interconnection Telecom Solutions (I) Pvt. Ltd (Telcordia) was granted license for MNP Service Zone-2 (North-East India).

Further, on 6th May 2009, DoT issued detailed instructions to all Access Provider/NLD/ILD licensees regarding provisioning of MNP.

On 25th Nov 2010, MNP has been implemented in Haryana as a pilot LSA to observe implication of MNP on voice as well as non voice calls.

Finally, 20th January 2011, MNP has been implemented across the India.

implementation of MNP in the country. Accordingly, 3. MNP PRINCIPLE IN

INDIAthe TRAI constituted a Steering Committee consistingof representatives from TEC, Service Providers and their Associations. Based on the report of the Steering Committee and deccision of the Authority, a draft“Request for Proposal” (RFP) was prepared and

Applicable only for Mobile Numbers

Number Portability is only applicable to MobileNumbers not for the Fixed/Land Line Numbers



Applicable only in intra licensed area

A mobile subscriber can switch from one service provide to another within the same license area. Portability is applicable only in intra-circle; it is not applicable in inter-circle.

Applicable irrespective of Technology

Portability is Possible irrespective ofMobile Technology used by Service

Provider. A mobile subscriber can change its operator from CDMA to GSM/UMTS and vice-versa.

LRN based routing

DoT has allocated 4 digits unique routing number called LRN (Location Routing Number) to all Mobile Operators for each circle to identify individual network. Post MNP calls (Voice/Non Voice) will be routed on the basis of LRN. Ported numbers are prefixed with a LRN identifying the new service provider for the number. So when MNP database receives a query for a given MSISDN, the data base will return the MSISDN prefixed with the LRN of the MNO to which it (MSISDN) belongs. MNP database always responds to a query with “LRN+B Number”. In case of Ported Number LRN belongs to new service provider and in case of Non – Ported Number LRN belongs to same service provider.

MNPDB query & Routing Method

All call query and direct routing method has been chosen for the MNP in India. MNPDB contains all

ported in and ported out numbers. Originating network performs MNPDB query for all originating calls and directly routes to Subscription network.

India Terminating International Calls/SMS

ILDOs/IGPs are responsible for MNP dip for the International calls and SMS terminating to Indian subscribers. ILDOs/IGPs supposed

to be an originatingnetwork for the Indianterminating international calls/SMS.

ILDOs/IGPs perform MNP dip and route calls/SMS directly to the subscription network.

MNP Zones and LSA (Circle)

MNP ZONES

S. No. ZONE 1 – Licensed

Service Area

ZONE 2 – Licensed

Service Area

1 Gujarat Andhra Pradesh

2 Haryana Assam

3 Himachal Pradesh Bihar

4 Jammu & Kashmir Karnataka

5 Maharashtra Kerala

6 Punjab Madhya Pradesh

7 Rajasthan North East

8 Uttar Pradesh (E) Orissa

9 Uttar Pradesh (W)Tamil Nadu including

Chennai

10 Delhi West Bengal

11 Mumbai Kolkata

TABLE 1 MNP ZONES AND LSA

4. HIGH LEVEL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE FOR MNP

SOLUTIONFig 1 show high level network architecture and network components for MNP solution. On high level, complete network can be visualized into two parts:



Central Side – MNPO (Centralized Clearing House)

Operator Side – Service Providers

4.1. CENTRAL SIDE- MNPO (MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY OPERATOR)The central side is a MNPO, supposed to provide MNP Service in a particular zone. It is also called MNP Clearing House (MCH). MCH shall receive mobile number portability requests from the recipient operator; forward it to the donor operator for verification. On getting clearance from donor operator MNP service provider shall control and coordinate the mobile number portability process. At a predetermined date and time the MNP service provider will instruct the donor operator to disconnect the mobile number of the subscriber and upon receiving confirmation of such effect shall instruct the recipient operator to activate the mobile number of the subscriber. Once the mobile number is activated at the recipient operator’s end, the MCH will send the details of the porting to the centralised Number Portability Database (NPDB) which in turn will update its own database by an appropriate routing number called Location Routing Number (LRN), a unique routing number assigned to each operator in a service area by the DoT. This updation will be communicated by the NPDB to all the service providers for updating their respective local Number Portability database.

MNP Service provider has to deploy its system (network) in redundant way as shown in figure in two different geographical areas, one as a production site and another as a disaster recovery site to avoid interruption in service due to failure of one site. Both side must be in sync and work in active redundantmode



FIGURE 1 HIGH LEVEL MNP ARCHITECTURE

4.2. OPERATOR SIDE (SERVICE PROVIDERS)Operator side consists service providers like MNO, ILDO, IGP, Fixed Line service Provider, content provider etc. Service providers should connect their Local Number Portability database to the both sites of MNPO. Whenever any call is made to the ported mobile number, the originating network shall first query the number portability database to obtain LRN and then the call is routed directly to the destination mobile network.

As shown in figure, depending upon requirement and network topology, service provider can choose any of below mention option to connect MNP service provider.

Option 1: Service provider can directly connect its gateway to Central MNPDB of MNP service provider and perform MNP query to Central MNPDB to get appropriate LRN to route originating calls to subscription network. In this option service provider not required to deploy its Local MNPDB separately.

Option 2: Service Provider can deploy its separate Local MNPDB and connect it to Central MNPDB through its number portability gateway (NPG). Local MNPDB is synchronized with Central MNPDB of the MNPservice provider. In this option service provider performs MNP query to its Local MNPDB to get appropriate



LRN to route originating calls to subscription network.

Option 3: This option is similar to the Option 2 but in this, Local MNPDB is the Part of service provider’s STP (Signaling Transfer Point), whereas in option 2 Local MNPDB is independent node. In this option, service provider performs MNP query to its STP (which consist Local MNPDB) to get appropriate LRN to route originating calls to subscription network.

5. MNP TERMINOLOGY CCH: Centralized Clearing House. Negotiating between Donor & Recipient Operator

during porting process and responsible for Central NP Database Administration.

CNPDB: Centralized Number Portability Database. Repository for Ported Subscriber’s information.

Donor Network: The initial network where the number was located before being ported.

LRN: Location Routing Number. A unique routing number assigned to each operator in a service area by the DoT.

LNPDB: Local Number Portability Database, deployed by service provider for the repository of

Ported Subscriber’s information.

MNPDB: Mobile Number Portability Database.

NPG: Number Portability gateway. The network component which connects service provider’s

LNPDB to the MNP Service Provider’s gateway.

Originating Network: The Network where the calling party is currently connected.

Recipient Network: The network where a number is located after being ported.

Routing Prefix: Routable number to identify the Service provider, Technology and the Service area for the called party.

6. PORTING PROCESS FLOWFig 2 shows end to end porting process flow between Recipient Network to MCH and MCH to DonorNetwork.



FIGURE 2 END TO END PORTING PROCESS

7. POST MNP VOICE CALL FLOW

Fig 3 shows post MNP voice call flow for ported number.

1. A call is initiated by Mobile Subscriber A towards Mobile Subscriber B, using the MSISDN of the called subscriber.

2. When VMSCA receives the call setup indication, it will send a MNP query to the LNPDB as a result of analysis of the received MSISDN including the MSISDN in the query.

3. The LNPDB detects that the MSISDN is ported and responds back to the VMSCA with a Location

Routing Number (LRN) pointing out the Subscription network.

4. The call is routed to the Subscription network based on the Location Routing Number carried in

ISUP IAM message. Here, format of Called Number (B-Number) = LRN+NSN, where NSN = National significant number (excluding country code).



5. The GMSCB requests routing information by submitting a MAP SRI to the HLRB, including the

MSISDN in the request.

FIGURE 3 END TO END CALL FLOW FOR PORTED NUMBER

6 The HLRB requests an MSRN from the MSC/VLRB where the mobile subscriber currently is registered.

7 The MSC/VLRB returns an MSRN back to the HLRB.

8 The HLRB responds to the GMSCB by sending an SRI ack with an MSRN.

9 GMSCB uses the MSRN to route the call to VMSCB.

Once IAM terminates to appropriate MSC/VLR, subsequent messages like ACM, ANM, REL and RLC (otherISUP messages for Call completion) will flows between Originating and Subscription network as it is.

8. POST MNP SMS FLOWFig 4 shows post MNP SMS flow for ported number. The message flows for this scenario are based on the use of an SCCP-relay function in the MNP-SRFs.



FIGURE 4 POST MNP SMS FLOW FOR PORTED NUMBER

1. The SMSC forwards a SM to the SMS-GMSC via a proprietary interface.

2. The SMS-GMSC generates a routing enquiry for SM delivery. The MAP SRI_for_SM message is

routed to the network’s MNP-SRF.

3. When MNP-SRFA receives the message, MNP-SRF operation is triggered. The MNP-SRF functionality analyses the MSISDN in the CdPA and identifies the MSISDN as being ported using information which may be retrieved from an LNPDB. As the message is non-call related, the MNP- SRF function then populates the CdPA with a location routing number and MSISDN. The format of CdPA = CC+LRN+NDC+SN. After modifying the CdPA, the message is routed to MNP-SRFB in the subscription network.

4. When MNP-SRFB receives the message, MNP-SRF operation is triggered. The MNP-SRF functionality analyses the MSISDN (CC+LRN+NDC+SN) in the CdPA and identifies the MSISDN as being ported into the network using information which may be retrieved from a LNPDB. The MNP- SRF function then populates the CdPA with an HLRB address. After modifying the CdPA, the message is routed to HLRB.

5. HLRB responds to the routing enquiry by sending back a SRI_for_SM ack with the address of the

VMSC.

6. The SMS-GMSC can now deliver the message to the VMSCB using a Forward_SMS message.



7. VMSCB further delivers the message to MSB.

9. PROCEDURE TO SWITCH SERVICE PROVIDER IN INDIA

A mobile subscriber has to carried out following procedure for opting a new mobile service provider underMNP

1. Send an SMS (Port <space>your mobile number) to 1900. You will get a reply SMS with a Unique

Porting Code (UPC) from 1901.

2. Submit an application to the service provider where you want to shift with this UPC in a prescribed format (Remember the UPC will be valid only for few days). You have to submit your identity proof, address proof, and photograph along with this UPC.

3. Your application will be processed by the new service provider and you will get an application receipt confirmation and the details of porting date.

4. In the next seven days, the MCH will check if you have any outstanding dues and then process your request.

5. Once the porting is completed, you will receive confirmation message. Your new service will then start on your old number.

10.

REFERENCE

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www.t r a i .g o v . i n

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http://www.coai.in/

http://www.coai.in/

http://www.dot.gov.in/



http://www.trai.gov.in/

http://www.trai.gov.in/

Documents

Mobile Number Portability in India