PSU BSNL informed the DoT that it may again miss the deadline of March 31, 2009 if it does not gets security clearance to procure mobile number portability (MNP) equipment.

“We would like to bring to your kind notice that BSNL has not been able to place purchase orders for MNP gateway for want of security clearance,” said a BSNL letter to DoT.

MNP was supposed to enter India on December 31 2009. But BSNL and MTNL had admitted that the two were not ready to upgrade their networks to support MNP. Private operators then followed BSNL and MTNL I admitting similar unpreparedness.