Telecordia Inc, the US-based company selected by the government for managing mobile number portability in the country, has filed an appeal at the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) against cancellation of approval.
FIPB, the nodal unit in the finance ministry for clearing foreign investment proposals, is scheduled to take up the case at its next meeting on September 10.
Telecordia’s appeal comes at a time when the country is gearing up to implement mobile number portability (MNP). After deferring the rollout date several times, the government has set October 31, 2010, as the fresh deadline for MNP.
The home ministry had sought review of the Telecordia proposal over security issues some months ago, even though the company had gotten a go-ahead earlier.
The home ministry’s main objection was that it managed number portability in Pakistan too, and therefore it may pose a security risk for India. Subsequently, the FIPB deferred a decision on Telecordia many times before recently rejecting it. Now, Telecordia has filed an appeal at the FIPB, contesting the cancellation.
Sources said that the government may now allow Telecordia to manage portability in India, though with certain conditions. Syniverse Technologies is the other company chosen by the government, besides Telecordia, for MNP.
In February, FIPB had okayed the Telecordia proposal, ahead of the US-based company being selected for MNP solutions in the south and east of India. Syniverse Technologies would handle MNP for the north and the west.
Mobile number portability will allow a phone subscriber to retain his number even if he switches over to another service provider in the same circle.
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