Airtel is one of the most popular telecom operators in India, with its wide coverage and a range of prepaid and postpaid plans. The operator offers GSM, 3G, 4G LTE, and 4G+ services alongside supporting voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) and voice-over-Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi) technologies. It also provides easy recharge and bill payment options through its native Airtel Thanks app as well as via third-party apps such as Google Pay and Paytm. All this makes Airtel a competitive option to look at if you’re in the market to port your existing number.
Just like any other telecom operator in the country, Airtel offers porting to both its postpaid and prepaid services. You need valid address and identity proofs such as a passport, driving licence, voter ID card, ration card, or a photo credit card to begin with the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service.
In this article, we are providing a step-by-step guide to help you port your existing mobile number to Airtel prepaid or postpaid service. The process takes 48 hours for intra circle port-in, while it may take four days in case of inter circle port-in. For people in Jammu and Kashmir, the porting process is expected to take 15 days.
How to port your mobile number to Airtel prepaid
Before beginning the process, you need to keep your address and ID proofs handy. You’ll also be required to pay a Rs. 100 delivery fee to an Airtel executive delivering your SIM. Additionally, it is important to note that porting to Airtel will not carry forward your existing balance. This means that your entire balance will be forfeited once you switch you to Airtel. Following are the steps to port your mobile number to Airtel prepaid. You’ll also find steps to port to Airtel postpaid in the next section.
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Visit the Airtel prepaid site and then pick a recharge plan with which you want to get started with the new operator.
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Scroll down a bit. You’ll then see a small form asking for your name, mobile number, and location. You’ll also be required to enter your house number and street name for getting doorstep know-your-customer (KYC) validation.
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Now, click the Submit button.
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You will now get a call to schedule an appointment for your SIM delivery.
Once the executive reaches your place, you need to generate an eight-character Unique Porting Code (UPC) by sending an SMS message “Port” and your number to 1900. You’ll get the code via an SMS message from 1901. The code is notably valid for four days (30 days in case of Jammu and Kashmir).
Alongside the code, you’ll need to share your address and identity proofs with the executive.
In case if you don’t want to go ahead with the online process, you can visit an Airtel store with your address and ID proofs and mobile phone to port your connection. You can locate your nearest Airtel store from the operator’s site.
Airtel has provided the option to track MNP progress using the Airtel Thanks app. You can sign in on the app using your port-in number. It lets you track your progress live on the home screen and allows you to activate the new SIM upon its delivery. The app is available for download on both Android and iOS devices.
How to port your mobile number to Airtel postpaid
Just like switching to Airtel prepaid, you can port to Airtel postpaid using either online or offline methods. However, before getting started, you should keep your address and ID proofs handy.
- Visit the Airtel postpaid site and then select a plan.
- Now, click the Buy Now button.
- The site will then take you to a new page where you’ll be asked to provide your name and mobile number. It will also ask you to enter your city name, house number, and location for your doorstep KYC validation.
- Now, hit the Submit button to send your details for porting.
- Airtel will now call you for SIM delivery.
An Airtel executive will visit your home to deliver you the SIM and collect your documents. You’ll also need to generate the eight Unique Porting Code or UPC by sending an SMS message “Port” and your number to 1900. You’ll get the code via an SMS message from 1901. The code is notably valid for four days (30 days in case of Jammu and Kashmir). You’ll be required to share that code along with your address and ID proofs with the executive visiting your place.
If you don’t want to place your porting request online, you can visit your nearest Airtel store with your proofs and your mobile phone to request for MNP offline. You can also install the Airtel Thanks app to check the status of your MNP request in real time.
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