Want to switch to Reliance Jio, but retain your old number? Here's how to do it

Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio telecom venture is out and available for the public today.

The Jio network which offers cheapest data in India is available at telecom stores in prepaid and postpaid plans.

All you need to do is present your ID proof, address proof and passport photographs and you will be able to get your Jio sim card. 

However, users who do not want to let go of their number have the option to port their existing numbers to a Reliance Jio number.

Reliance Jio MNP

As a part of the free offer, Reliance Jio allows you to port your existing number to a Jio number in a few quick steps.

You need to send the text message 'PORT' followed by your 10-digit mobile number to TRAI's central number for mobile number portability - 1900.

You will then receive a Unique Porting Code on your phone.

You can go to the nearest Reliance Mobile store, fill in the required documents along with your porting code. You will have to submit address proof, ID proof and passport photographs to complete the porting process.

You will then get a Reliance Jio sim card and once activated, you will still have the same phone number as your previous carrier.

You can choose from a host of prepaid and postpaid plans to choose from.

"These are the simplest and the most attractive tariff plans in the market, with the lowest data rates anywhere in the world," Mukesh Ambani said at his company's annual general meeting last week.

"There are 22,000 telecom tariffs across country. Jio's pricing strategy only has 10 main plans," he said promising that Jio users would also not face any blackout days such as Diwali and New Year when operators tend to charge double.

Prepaid packages start from Rs 149 while postpaid plans start from Rs 199 with free voice calling, messaging and roaming.

Reliance Jio has already onboarded 1.5 million users on its 4G network, during the test phase. Over the past few weeks, Reliance Jio has been expanding its unlimited calls and high-speed mobile broadband trial offer to 4G smartphone users of brands such as HTC, Intex, Vivo, Gionee, Karbonn and Lava.

Jio will begin offering full bouquet of its services to everybody without restrictions from September 5 to December 31, 2016. The commercial launch is likely to take place on December 31.