Country's top telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited on Friday welcomed the government decision to introduce mobile number portability saying it would make the sector more competitive.
"With this step, all telecom operators will improve their network and step up their customer support, and consumers can expect much better and improved services in future," BSNL said in a statement.
The government, on November 12, announced its decision to allow mobile users in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai to switch their service provider while retaining the same number.
The decision is to be implemented by the fourth quarter of 2008.
This would also allow the best operators to stay in the market, BSNL said.
"Consumers would always have an option to choose an operator because it (number portability) avoids the hassles of informing (people about) the new number," the company added.
GSM players lobby Cellular Operators Association of India had also hailed the move, but said number portability should be introduced across the country simultaneously. It should also be implemented in the fixed line segment, it had said.