DoT Introduces New Numbering Series 160xxxxxxx for Service/Transactional Calls

New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced the launch of a new numbering series, 160xxxxxxx, dedicated to service and transactional calls. This initiative aims to help citizens easily identify legitimate calls, reducing the risk of fraud and ensuring important calls are not missed.

Currently, the 140xxxxxxx series is allocated to telemarketers for promotional, service, and transactional voice calls. However, due to its extensive use for promotional purposes, many consumers tend to ignore calls from this series, resulting in missed important service or transactional communications. Consequently, legitimate entities have been using regular 10-digit numbers for these calls, inadvertently providing fraudsters with an opportunity to deceive consumers.

To address this issue, the DoT has allocated the 160xxxxxxx series exclusively for service and transactional calls made by legitimate entities. This clear differentiation between service/transactional calls and other types of calls aims to enhance consumer confidence and allow citizens to better manage their communications.

Service and transactional calls originating from financial entities, such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), will now start with 1601. This new series will enable consumers to easily recognize and trust calls from these entities.

Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) will ensure thorough verification of every entity before assigning a number from the 160 series. Entities using these numbers must adhere to the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), 2018, and commit to using the numbers exclusively for service and transactional calls.

Consumers can have increased confidence in the legitimacy of calls from the 160xxxxxxx series, reducing the risk of falling victim to scams. For any suspected fraudulent communications, citizens are advised to report them on the Chakshu facility at Sanchar Saathi (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in).

The DoT also encourages consumers to activate the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) Do Not Disturb (DND) feature to block unwanted promotional calls, further enhancing their protection against spam.