India on Thursday ushered in Mobile Number Portability that will allow cellphone users to switch operators without changing numbers, with Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal launching the service in Haryana.

The rest of India would get to use MNP from January 20, next year.

The consumer friendly service was mooted over two years ago and was planned to be implemented by end of 2009.

However, implementation had to be deferred several times owing to reasons ranging from lack of preparedness of operators to delay in appointment of an agency to oversee MNP execution.