TRAI rolls out '1601' series for utility, courier service calls to curb fraud; migration in 90 days
New Delhi, August 10
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has initiated the phase-wise rollout of a new '1601' number series for service and transactional calls by utility, courier and logistics companies, aimed at helping consumers identify legitimate business calls and curb impersonation fraud.
Under the first phase, electricity distribution companies, water utilities, city gas distributors, LPG distribution entities and other utility providers will be covered. Courier companies, express logistics firms, parcel delivery providers and freight and logistics service providers will also come under the new numbering framework.
Telecom service providers (TSPs) have been directed to complete the migration and onboarding of eligible entities covered under Phase-I within 90 days from the date of the order, according to a release issued by the Ministry of Communications on Monday.
TRAI said the move is expected to help tackle fraudsters who use ordinary mobile numbers while posing as representatives of legitimate companies.
"Their adoption is, therefore, expected to become an important tool in combating impersonation by fraudsters who use normal 10-digit numbers and falsely claim to represent legitimate businesses," the release said.
It added that the "distinct numbering identity will enable the consumers to easily identify legitimate service and transactional calls," strengthening trust in voice-based communications.
The 1601-series numbers will be allocated directly to eligible entities and not to intermediaries or aggregators. Telecom operators will be required to verify the eligibility of entities before assigning the numbers.
Companies will also have to give an undertaking that the numbers will be used exclusively for service and transactional voice calls. The 1601-series cannot be used for promotional calls.
The new series follows the adoption of the separate 1600-series for service and transactional calls by entities in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector and government.
TRAI said the 1601 series was created separately for other sectors to avoid mixing important financial calls with service and transactional communications from utilities and other businesses.
The regulator said implementation will be expanded phase-wise, with utilities, courier and logistics sectors covered initially.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good step by TRAI but 90 days seems too long. These scamsters are getting smarter every day. My elderly parents almost fell for one such fake electricity bill payment call last week. They should fast-track this rollout, especially for utility companies.
As someone who works in logistics, this is a welcome move. We've had customers refusing to answer calls because they're scared of fraudsters. This will restore trust in legitimate business communications. Though I hope the migration process is smooth for smaller courier companies.
This is good but what about banks? They already have 1600 series. My concern is that scammers will eventually figure out ways to spoof these numbers too. TRAI needs to ensure strict verification and monitoring. But definitely a step in the right direction. 👏
Living in Bangalore, I receive at least 5-6 spam calls daily. This initiative will help, but the real issue is that telecom companies keep selling our data. TRAI should also crack down on data leaks. Anyway, appreciate the effort to protect consumers.
The 1601 series is a good move, but I wish they had also included telecom companies offering broadband services. Last month someone called me pretending to be from Jio and asked for OTP to "upgrade" my plan. Almost fell for it. Hope they expand this to more sectors soon!
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