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Freedom251 › Blog › MNP India

How mobile number portability works in India: eligibility, documents and porting time

By Freedom251 Team · · 7 min read

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To port an Indian mobile number, text PORT <10-digit number> to 1900, take the eight-character Unique Porting Code (UPC) sent from 1901 to your chosen operator, and submit its porting form, Customer Acquisition Form (CAF), UPC and KYC documents. Current TRAI guidance says the transfer normally takes three working days within one Licensed Service Area (LSA), five working days between LSAs, and up to 15 working days in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North East. The overnight change-over can interrupt service for up to four hours.

What mobile number portability does

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) lets you keep the same mobile number when moving from one access provider to another. Your telephone number stays the same; the donor operator is the network you leave and the recipient operator is the network you join. The process is regulated by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

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The current rules and customer instructions are set out in TRAI’s Mobile Number Portability FAQ and its September 2024 customer guide. MNP changes the network account associated with a number; it does not transfer a handset, an existing tariff, unused benefits or a separate broadband account.

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Check eligibility before requesting a UPC

TRAI’s system checks the number before issuing a UPC. Every applicable condition below must be satisfied:

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  • More than 90 days with the current operator: the number must have been active on the donor network for over 90 days. A number that has completed exactly 90 days does not meet the “more than 90 days” condition.
  • Post-paid dues cleared: a post-paid subscriber must pay outstanding billed amounts under the normal billing cycle. Keep the paid copy of the last bill because the recipient operator may request it.
  • No ownership change in progress: an ownership-transfer request must not be pending.
  • No legal restriction: the number must not be sub-judice or barred from porting by a court.
  • No contractual exit obligation: an outstanding contractual commitment that prevents termination must be resolved first.
  • Seven days after a SIM replacement: at least seven days must have passed since a SIM swap or replacement.
  • Corporate limits: a corporate request may include no more than 100 numbers in one request, and all those numbers must be with the same donor operator. The request requires an authorisation letter from the authorised signatory.

If a condition fails, the UPC request is rejected and the reason is sent by SMS. Fix the stated problem before submitting another request; generating a new message without correcting the failed condition will not bypass the check.

Documents and information to take to the new operator

After receiving the UPC, go to the recipient operator’s point of sale or customer service centre. The operator will complete its Customer Acquisition Form (CAF) and Porting Form. Bring:

  • the valid eight-character UPC;
  • the mobile number being ported;
  • the KYC identity and address proof requested under the operator’s current process;
  • any required payment; and
  • the new SIM issued by the recipient operator.

Post-paid customers should additionally provide a paid copy of the last bill issued, as specified in TRAI’s customer guide. The operator may ask for other documentary proof where its KYC process requires it, so check the point of sale’s document list before travelling.

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Corporate numbers

For a business account, include the authorised-signatory letter. One letter can cover up to 100 corporate numbers belonging to the same donor operator. Corporate porting has a five-working-day schedule under TRAI’s FAQ, even where the numbers are otherwise in one LSA.

How to port your SIM, step by step

  1. Send the UPC request from the number you are moving. Open the phone’s SMS app and send PORT, a space and the ten-digit mobile number to 1900. Example: PORT 9876543210. Do not send the request from a different number.
  2. Save the UPC SMS. TRAI’s porting system sends the eight-character UPC from short code 1901. Check that the number and the UPC are correct before visiting the recipient operator.
  3. Choose the recipient operator and visit an authorised outlet. Ask whether the outlet can complete KYC and SIM activation for an MNP request, then submit the CAF, Porting Form, UPC and documents.
  4. Pay any disclosed charge and collect the replacement SIM. Keep the receipt and the SIM packaging. The recipient operator sends an SMS confirming submission and informing you of the 24-hour withdrawal period.
  5. Watch for the scheduled change-over message. The donor service remains active until the transfer window. Do not discard the old SIM before the scheduled night.
  6. Insert the new SIM when instructed. During the night window, the donor service is deactivated and the recipient SIM is activated after verification. Restart the phone if it does not register immediately, then test calls, SMS and mobile data.

How long porting takes in India

The timetable depends on whether both operators serve the same LSA, whether the request is corporate, and whether the number is in one of the regions with an extended schedule.

Situation Current TRAI schedule What to expect
Individual number, within one LSA Three working days The overnight cut-over follows processing and verification.
Individual number, between LSAs Five working days For example, a Delhi-to-Mumbai move is inter-LSA.
Corporate number Five working days The request must meet the corporate authorisation and 100-number limit.
Jammu and Kashmir, Assam or a North East LSA Up to 15 working days The longer period applies to numbers in these LSAs.

The physical switch occurs during night hours. Service can be unavailable for a maximum of four hours while the donor connection is disabled and the recipient SIM is activated. Arrange an alternative way to receive urgent calls during that window.

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Why some websites say seven days

TRAI’s older customer guide describes change-over on the seventh working day, or the 15th working day in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North East. The current FAQ gives the operational schedule of three working days within an LSA, five between LSAs and up to 15 in those three regions. Use the current FAQ for present-day planning; the older figure explains why legacy articles still show seven days.

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UPC validity, cancellation and charges

How long the UPC remains usable

A UPC is valid for four days in all LSAs except Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North East, where it is valid for 30 days. The day on which the UPC is generated is excluded from the validity count. Submit the port request before the validity period expires; an expired code requires a new UPC request.

How to withdraw within 24 hours

If you change your mind, send CANCEL, a space and the ten-digit number to 1900 within 24 hours of submitting the port request. This cancels the port request and the UPC. A porting charge already paid may not be refunded.

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What you may be charged

TRAI’s current FAQ says the recipient operator may ask for ₹6.46 per request. The September 2024 customer guide states a maximum of ₹19. These are different figures in two TRAI documents, so confirm the amount displayed or quoted by the recipient operator before payment and retain the receipt.

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What can stop a port request and how to resolve it

UPC rejected immediately

Read the rejection SMS: it identifies the failed eligibility check. Common causes are a service period of 90 days or less, unpaid post-paid bills, a pending ownership change, a court restriction, an unresolved contractual exit obligation or a SIM replacement made less than seven days earlier. Correct that condition, then request a fresh UPC.

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UPC expired before submission

Check the generation date and the applicable four-day or 30-day validity rule. Once expired, send a new PORT request and use the replacement UPC rather than presenting the old code.

Porting is delayed beyond the stated window

Verify whether the number is crossing an LSA boundary, is a corporate request, or belongs to Jammu and Kashmir, Assam or the North East. Confirm that the recipient operator accepted the CAF and KYC documents and that no verification message is outstanding. If the stated maximum has passed, contact the recipient operator’s customer service centre with the submission confirmation and receipt.

The phone shows no service after the night window

Wait through the stated change-over period, insert the recipient SIM, restart the handset and check that the SIM is enabled. If service is still absent after the maximum four-hour interruption, use the recipient operator’s support channel and provide the porting confirmation, mobile number and SIM details. Keep the old SIM available until activation is confirmed.

Choosing the recipient operator

TRAI’s MNP rules explain the transfer mechanics but do not rank operators. Compare the options at your location before submitting the UPC, because portability preserves the number but not the quality of the new network. Check:

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  • indoor and outdoor coverage where you live, work and travel;
  • the plan’s recurring price, data allowance, voice and SMS terms;
  • whether the required 4G or 5G service is available with your handset and in your area;
  • customer-support hours and the ease of replacing a SIM; and
  • whether the selected outlet can complete KYC and activate an MNP SIM promptly.

Do not cancel the donor service separately before the port completes. The MNP process deactivates the donor connection at the scheduled cut-over; cancelling it independently can create avoidable service and account problems.

A practical preparation checklist

  • Confirm the number has been active for more than 90 days.
  • Pay any billed post-paid balance and save the paid last bill.
  • Check that no ownership, court or contractual restriction applies.
  • If the SIM was replaced, wait at least seven days.
  • Send the exact SMS format to 1900 and save the UPC from 1901.
  • Visit the recipient operator with the UPC, KYC documents, forms and payment.
  • Record the submission confirmation and the scheduled night window.
  • Keep the old SIM until the new one registers and calls, SMS and data work.

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