NEW DELHI: In a bid to curb the porting of mobile numbers through fraudulent SIM swaps, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) amended mobile number portability rules. These changes, effective from July 1, 2024, aim to make it more difficult for fraudsters to hijack phone numbers.
As per the ninth amendment of the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulations, an additional criterion for rejecting a Unique Porting Code (UPC) request has been introduced. Specifically, a UPC will not be allocated if the request is made within seven days of a SIM replacement. In simpler terms, users cannot port out of their current network operator if they have recently swapped their SIM cards.
According to the new rules, after a SIM swap due to damage or loss, users cannot request to port their network for at least seven days. In case of doing so, Telecom service providers (TSPs) will not generate a UPC if the subscriber's SIM was swapped within the last 7 days. Previously, users could request a Unique Porting Code (UPC) to switch network providers anytime after replacing their SIM card.
"These amendment regulations are aimed at curbing the porting of mobile numbers by way of fraudulent SIM swap and replacement by unscrupulous elements. Through these amendment regulations, an additional criterion for the rejection of the request for allocation of a Unique Porting Code (UPC) has been introduced. Specifically, a UPC shall not be allocated if the request for the UPC has been made before the expiry of seven days from the date of SIM swap," said TRAI in a press note.