India Number Portability wont affect margins

ndia`s top mobile operator Bharti Airtel on Wednesday said introduction of mobile number portability is unlikely to affect the company`s margins as it expects a major churn out of subscribers in favour of GSM operators.

"It (mobile number portability) will not affect our margins... We are hopeful that the margins will increase as Bharti`s network would attract high value customers from CDMA network," Bharti Airtel Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Bharti Mittal told reporters on the sidelines of CII knowledge summit.

On November 12, the government announced the introduction of mobile number portability in four metros by next year. It would allow users to change their service providers while retaining their numbers.

Welcoming the move, Mittal said, "it should be introduced in all the circles simultaneously not only in four metros... Fixed line services should also be included in it."

The initial cost of operationalising the number portability would be borne by operators, however, rest of the expenses should be passed on to the customers, he added.

There is less competition in circles other than metros, which calls for a greater need for introduction of number portability, Mittal said, adding Bharti is ready to introduce number portability across the country.

On the issue of auctioning of 3G spectrum, Mittal said, "we are in favour of auctioning of 3G spectrum but there should not be any artificial scarcity of spectrum."