Within the first part, the 1601 quantity sequence will cowl transactional and repair calls made by entities within the utilities, courier and logistics sectors, TRAI stated. It additionally clarified that the devoted quantity sequence shouldn’t be used for promotional voice calls by any entity.
At present, the 1600-series numbers are allotted for service and transactional calls by BFSI and authorities entities.
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The telecom regulator stated a separate 1601 sequence has been issued for different sectors, given the crucial and delicate nature of communications by BFSI and authorities entities. The transfer is geared toward stopping vital monetary voice calls from being combined with service and transactional calls from different sectors.
“After widespread adoption of the 1600-series numbers for service and transactional calls by BFSI sector entities, which has supplied useful expertise for extending the trusted numbering framework to the opposite sectors additionally, TRAI has now initiated phase-wise implementation of the 1601-series allotted by the DoT (Division of Telecom) for comparable calls by the entities in sectors aside from the BFSI sector and Authorities,” TRAI stated.
In response to the regulator, following consultations with stakeholders, it has determined to implement the 1601-series for utilities, courier and logistics entities underneath Section-I.The 1601-series numbers will likely be allotted on to eligible entities and to not intermediaries or aggregators, after due verification by telecom service providers (TSPs).
TRAI stated the adoption of the devoted sequence is anticipated to assist fight impersonation by fraudsters who use common 10-digit numbers and falsely declare to signify reputable companies.
The distinct numbering id can even assist shoppers establish reputable service and transactional calls, thereby strengthening belief in voice-based communications, TRAI stated.
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Initially, the 1601-series will likely be allotted to eligible entities within the utilities and logistics and courier companies sectors. The utilities class consists of electrical energy distribution firms, water utilities, metropolis fuel distribution firms, LPG distribution entities and comparable service suppliers.
The logistics and courier class will cowl courier corporations, categorical logistics firms, parcel supply service suppliers, and freight and logistics service suppliers engaged within the supply of consignments.
Telecom operators have been requested to finish the migration and onboarding of eligible entities coated underneath the primary part inside 90 days.
“The TSPs shall confirm the eligibility of entities earlier than assigning 1601-series numbers, and procure an endeavor from them concerning unique use of those numbers for service and transactional voice calls,” TRAI stated.
TRAI has mandated the usage of the 1600-series for service and transactional calls by regulated banking, monetary companies and insurance coverage (BFSI) entities, in addition to government-to-citizen communications. The 140-series numbers, in the meantime, are used for promotional calls by registered entities throughout sectors.
Final month, TRAI and Truecaller have been concerned in a standoff over the show of tags on devoted 140 and 1600 quantity sequence. Truecaller alleged that spam calls had elevated after TRAI mandated the usage of devoted 140 and 1600 quantity sequence whereas stopping caller ID apps from displaying community-reported spam data for these numbers.
The regulator responded that Truecaller ought to show a label informing customers that they will “train their selection” to dam undesirable communication from the 140 sequence via TRAI’s official Do Not Disturb (DND) choice administration app.
TRAI has repeatedly cautioned name administration apps and customers that certainly not ought to the 1600 quantity be tagged as spam, because the sequence is used for service and transaction calls by regulated BFSI entities — these regulated by RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and PFRDA — to their present prospects, in addition to by authorities entities for government-to-citizen communication.
Calls from the 1600 sequence might embody fraud alerts and transaction verification, amongst different crucial communications. Tagging or labelling such calls in any type might due to this fact have adversarial penalties for shoppers.
In response to a latest TRAI report, 1.15 billion calls originated from 1600 devoted sequence numbers throughout Q1 FY2026-27.
(With PTI inputs)
