How to port mobile number — complete 2026 guide

About 3.2 crore mobile numbers were ported in 2024 alone (TRAI Performance Indicator Report Q4 2024-25), bringing the cumulative MNP figure since launch in 2011 to over 95 crore. Most ports happen Vi → Jio or Airtel → Jio (signal & price); a small but rising share is the reverse (5G coverage in Tier-2 cities). Median port-completion time is 5.4 days, well within the regulatory 7-day SLA.

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is the regulatory facility that lets you keep your same 10-digit mobile number while switching from one telecom service provider (TSP) to another. Without MNP, you'd have to take a new number every time you changed operators, lose contacts, re-issue OTPs, update bank/Aadhaar/PAN — a huge friction tax.

The legal anchors:

• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 — created TRAI as the independent regulator for telecom; §11 gives TRAI the power to regulate quality of service, including portability.
• Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulations, 2009 — TRAI's foundational MNP regulation; mandated all operators to support porting from 20 January 2011 (rolled out nationally by July 2011).
• Sixth Amendment to MNP Regulations, 2019 — slashed porting time from 21 days to 3-7 days (4 days intra-LSA, 7 days interstate); introduced the PORT-to-1900 SMS process.
• Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR) — the broader QoS / consumer-protection umbrella.
• Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 — original statute; still the parent law for spectrum and licensing.

You can port if all of these are true:

• The same number has been active on your current operator for at least 90 days.
• For postpaid: all bills cleared (no outstanding dues at the date of port-out).
• For prepaid: a valid (positive) balance at the time of port-out.
• No contractual lock-in is currently active (typical for corporate / bundled plans — 3 months to 12 months).

Compare:

• Network coverage in your office + home + commute. Use the operator's coverage map (jio.com / airtel.in / myvi.in / bsnl.co.in) or the TRAI Analytics Portal at analytics.trai.gov.in (Coverage Maps section).
• Tariff — base plan + add-ons + 5G availability.
• Customer service quality — TRAI's quarterly QoS reports rank operators on call drops, billing complaints, network availability.
• Family / corporate plans — sometimes porting one number breaks the family discount; check.

• Postpaid: pay your latest bill in full (including any usage post-bill-cycle that's not yet billed — call customer care for the “unbilled amount”). Ask for a No-Dues NOC if you want a paper trail (most operators don't insist).
• Prepaid: ensure at least ₹10 balance and a valid validity (active plan).

From your number:

SMS body:    PORT 98XXXXXX22
Send to:     1900
Cost:        Free (no SMS charge)

You'll receive a reply within seconds:

• The UPC (Unique Porting Code) — 8 alphanumeric characters, e.g., A4X9P2K6.
• Validity: 4 days for the rest of India; 15 days for J&K, Assam, NE LSAs.
• If your account has dues, the SMS will say “Port denied — clear bill” — pay and re-send PORT.

If you don't receive UPC, possible reasons: less than 90 days on current operator; corporate lock-in; recent fraud flag; SMSC (SMS Centre) of your phone misconfigured (try sending from another phone with your SIM).

Two routes:

• Online (Jio / Airtel apps): open the app → New SIM → MNP → enter UPC → upload Aadhaar selfie + photo → eKYC OTP → choose plan → SIM home-delivered (3-5 days) → activate via OTP. * In-person (any operator): walk into a store with UPC + Aadhaar + 1 photo + (optional) latest bill of current operator. Agent fills CAF + scans documents + completes biometric or OTP eKYC. ==== Step 5 — Fill the Customer Application Form (CAF) ==== The agent fills: * UPC (mandatory). * Personal details (auto-filled from Aadhaar eKYC). * Choice of new plan (you can pick prepaid or postpaid; common to switch postpaid → prepaid during port). * Acknowledgement of porting cost (₹6.46 max — usually waived). You sign + biometric / OTP. ==== Step 6 — Receive new SIM (in sealed envelope) ==== * Do not insert immediately. The agent will tell you to wait until you get an SMS from the new operator with the activation date / time. * Activation typically: 5-7 days within the same LSA (Licensed Service Area / state); 7 days interstate; 15 days J&K / Assam / NE. * During this window, your old SIM continues to work for incoming + outgoing calls. ==== Step 7 — Insert the new SIM after activation SMS ==== * On the activation date (you'll get an SMS like “Your port to Jio will complete on 18 February at 23:59”), at the cut-over time the old SIM stops working. * Power off phone → swap SIM → power on → wait 30-90 seconds for tower lock. * Make a test call to confirm. ==== Step 8 — Update OTP / KYC trail (don't forget!) ==== The number is the same — but operators sometimes auto-trigger a brief OTP verification cycle on banks, UPI apps, government portals (DigiLocker, EPFO, IT). Re-confirm OTP if asked. Do not change your registered mobile number anywhere — it stays the same. If you switch from postpaid to prepaid (or vice versa) during the port, the billing cycle resets: postpaid balance / advance is refunded by the old operator within 30 days to the same payment instrument; prepaid unused balance is forfeited (not refunded by old operator). ===== Sample fee + eligibility table ===== <code> +———————————–+————————————–+ | MNP fee (TRAI cap) | ₹6.46 (most operators waive) | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Activation timeline – intra-LSA | 4 working days (TRAI SLA) | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Activation timeline – interstate | 7 working days | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Activation timeline – J&K / Assam | 15 working days | | / NE LSAs | | +———————————–+————————————–+ | UPC validity | 4 days (15 days for J&K / NE) | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Minimum age of number on current | 90 days | | operator | | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Postpaid eligibility | All dues cleared at date of port-out | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Prepaid eligibility | Valid recharge / positive balance | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Documents at new operator | UPC + Aadhaar + 1 photo | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Old SIM works during port window | Yes (until activation cut-over) | +———————————–+————————————–+ | Repeat port (port a ported number)| Allowed after 90 days at new operator| +———————————–+————————————–+ | RTI to PIO TRAI / DoT | ₹10 by IPO. BPL = free. | +———————————–+————————————–+ </code> ===== Common reasons your port gets stuck ===== * UPC expired. You got the UPC but didn't visit the new operator within 4 days. Send PORT to 1900 again — no penalty for re-requesting. * Postpaid bill unpaid. Even ₹50 overdue triggers rejection. Pay via app, wait 24 hours, ask new operator to re-trigger. * Contractual obligation period. Corporate plans (CUG / closed user group), bundled handset plans, 12-month broadband-mobile combos — these often have lock-ins. Check the contract; you may need to pay early-termination charges before porting. * KYC mismatch. Your Aadhaar address or name doesn't match the existing SIM record. Update on both ends — or do a Full Address KYC at the new operator. * Address proof in different state. Interstate port (e.g., a Maharashtra Vi number being ported to Karnataka Jio because you've moved) — the new operator's KYC must match the LSA. Carry a current address proof for the new state. * Blacklisted by current operator — fraud flag, bulk-SMS abuse, repeated complaints. The PORT SMS itself returns “denied”. Ask current operator's nodal officer for the reason; resolve before re-attempting. * MNP-rejection due to “validation failure” from MCH (Mobile Number Portability Clearing House) — rare, technical. Wait 24 hours and re-trigger. * CAF documentation incomplete at new operator's end — missing photo, illegible Aadhaar copy. New operator's local store will flag and ask you to redo. ===== If stuck — the escalation ladder ===== ==== Rung 1 — New operator's customer care ==== * Jio: 199 (from Jio number) / 1800-889-9999 * Airtel: 121 (from Airtel) / 198 (complaints) / 1800-103-4444 * Vi: 199 / 198 (complaints) / 1800-200-0666 * BSNL: 1503 (from BSNL) / 1800-180-1503 Quote your UPC + port-request reference number from CAF. ==== Rung 2 — Old operator's customer care ==== If new operator says “old operator hasn't released the number”, call old operator's helpdesk. Common cause: dues. Pay them and ask for an immediate “release” confirmation SMS. ==== Rung 3 — Operator's Nodal / Appellate Officer ==== * Each operator publishes a Nodal Officer for each LSA (state). Find on the operator's site under Customer Service → Grievance Redressal. * If the customer-care complaint isn't resolved in 3 days, file a written complaint to the Nodal Officer (email + portal). 5-day SLA under TRAI rules. * Next escalation: Appellate Authority of the operator, with 30-day SLA. ==== Rung 4 — TRAI complaint ==== TRAI does not directly resolve individual consumer complaints (a 2018 Supreme Court ruling clarified this — TRAI sets policy, operators resolve complaints). But TRAI accepts grievances and tracks repeat-pattern complaints against operators. * https://www.trai.gov.in → Consumer Information → File a Complaint. * TRAI helpline: 0120-2401-1990 (Mon-Fri, 9:30-18:00). * Alternatively, use the TRAI Consumer Grievance Portal at tccms.trai.gov.in. ==== Rung 5 — Department of Telecommunications (DoT) ==== * Consumer helpline 1800-11-0420 (toll-free). * Sanchar Saathi portal — sancharsaathi.gov.in → Citizen-Centric Services → Report Complaints. * DoT enforces operator licence conditions; persistent operator failure can be reported here. ==== Rung 6 — CPGRAMS (Ministry of Communications) ==== * https://pgportal.gov.in → Department of Telecommunications. * Use when TRAI / DoT helpline gives no traction. Goes to a Director-level officer. ==== Rung 7 — Right to Information (RTI) ==== TRAI is a statutory body under the TRAI Act 1997 — fully a public authority under §2(h) of the RTI Act 2005. DoT is a central government department — public authority. Telecom operators (Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL) — BSNL is fully RTI-able as a PSU; private operators (Jio, Airtel, Vi) are not public authorities under RTI (multiple CIC orders have held that telecom licensees, despite operating under DoT licence, are not “substantially financed” by government). RTI helps here when: * Your port has been delayed beyond the 7-day SLA and TRAI complaints are unanswered. RTI to PIO TRAI for the complaint disposal log + action against operator for QoS breach. * You suspect TRAI has not enforced its own MNP regulations against your operator. RTI to PIO TRAI for enforcement action statistics — financial disincentives levied, hearings conducted, orders issued. * Your DoT consumer-helpline complaint was closed without resolution. RTI to PIO DoT for the action-taken report on your specific complaint reference. * Pattern data — total port requests in your LSA, rejection reasons breakdown, average port time. PIO TRAI / DoT. * For BSNL only: directly RTI BSNL's PIO for your individual port file (BSNL is a public authority). RTI does NOT help here when: * You want to force a private operator to release your number. RTI doesn't lie against Jio / Airtel / Vi as they're not public authorities. Use TRAI complaint + Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) for serious cases. * Your old operator is dragging its feet on a refund of advance / deposit. Use the operator's grievance ladder; if exhausted, the RBI Banking Ombudsman doesn't apply (not a banking matter); Consumer Court under Consumer Protection Act 2019 is the right forum — claim up to ₹50 lakh. * You disagree with a plan tariff of the new operator. TRAI permits tariff “forbearance” — operators can set their own retail tariffs. Not an RTI matter. * Network coverage complaints. TRAI publishes coverage maps but cannot mandate network buildout. RTI to PIO TRAI gives stats but not a personal remedy. For a related deep-dive, see RTI in 12 simple steps. ===== FAQs ===== Q. Can I port my number from postpaid to prepaid (or vice versa) during MNP?
  Yes. The CAF at the new operator lets you choose any plan — prepaid or postpaid. Many people use the port event to move from a high postpaid plan to a cheaper prepaid one. Q. Will I lose my unused prepaid balance when I port out?
  Yes — the old operator forfeits unused prepaid balance at the time of port-out. There's no refund mechanism in MNP regulations for prepaid balance. Q. What about the postpaid security deposit / advance I gave?
  Refundable. Old operator must refund any deposit / advance / unused credit within 30 days of port-out (TRAI Postpaid Refund Regulation). If not, file complaint with old operator's nodal officer; then TRAI complaint; then consumer court. Q. Can I port a number that was first ported only 60 days ago?
  No. The number must be on the current operator (in your case, the just-ported operator) for at least 90 days before re-porting. This is to prevent serial port-hopping. Q. My UPC says “PORT DENIED — please clear dues”. I have no dues. What now?
  Call old operator's customer care; ask them to email you a No-Dues confirmation. Re-send PORT to 1900. If the SMS still denies, escalate to old operator's nodal officer. Q. Can I port my number to another state?
  Yes — interstate MNP is supported. You'll need an address proof for the new state OR can keep the same address (the SIM moves but your billing address can stay the old state). Activation: 7 days. Q. My corporate (CUG) number — can I port it to my personal name?
  Only if the corporate (the licensed account holder) issues a release letter / NOC. Without it, the operator will reject. Ask HR / IT. Q. The old SIM stopped working but the new SIM also says “no service”. What do I do?
  Wait 30-90 minutes — sometimes the cut-over takes a bit. Ensure new SIM is correctly seated. Restart phone. If still no service after 4 hours, call new operator's MNP helpdesk with your CAF reference. Q. Can I cancel a port request after sending PORT to 1900?
  Yes — send CANCEL PORT as SMS body to 1900 before submitting CAF at new operator. After CAF submission, cancellation is harder — call the new operator urgently. Q. Will my UPI / banking break after port?
  No — your number stays the same. Banks recognise the number, not the operator. Some banks may ask for an OTP re-verification at first login; simply complete the OTP from the new SIM. ===== Related on RTI Wiki ===== * RTI in 12 simple steps — for first-time filers * All Indian government helplines — one master directory * RTI forms + state-wise fee chart * All "consumer & utilities" RTI guides Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. TRAI revises MNP regulations periodically — verify timelines, fee caps and BSNL contact numbers on trai.gov.in or write to admin@bighelpers.in if you spot a stale figure.

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