TRAI Clarifies Use of Designated Promotional and Transactional Number Series
India's telecom regulator TRAI has issued a clarification on the function of the 1600 and 140 number series. The aim is to help customers identify trusted and important calls.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a press release to clarify the functioning of the designated 1600 and 140 number series, following media reports that may have caused misinformation.
TRAI has reserved the 1600xx series for service and transactional calls made to existing customers by entities regulated by financial authorities like RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, and PFRDA. The series is also used by government departments for citizen communication. The 140xx series is exclusively for promotional calls by businesses.
The objective is to help customers identify trusted and important calls. Entities must register with telecom service providers under TCCCPR regulations to use these numbers. Consumers retain control over receiving promotional calls via the Do Not Disturb (DND) registry.
TRAI is also strengthening its enforcement against third-party call management applications. The regulator has sought authority under the Information Technology Act to act against platforms like Truecaller, which it alleges incorrectly tag or block calls from these designated series. TRAI argues such actions undermine the purpose of these numbering series.