Centre Launches New Mobile Number Series for Service, Transactional Calls

The Centre has introduced a new numbering series, 160xxxxxxx, for making service or transactional calls. This move aims to help citizens easily identify legitimate calls and curb unsolicited voice calls from telemarketers using 10-digit mobile numbers.

Background

Currently, the 140xxxxxxx series is allocated to telemarketers for promotional, service, and transactional calls. However, due to its extensive use for promotional purposes, consumers often ignore such calls, leading to missed important service and transactional communications.

New Number Series

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced that the new 160xxxxxxx series will be exclusively used for service and transactional calls by Principal Entities. This differentiation will help citizens manage their communication more effectively by distinguishing legitimate calls from promotional ones.

Implementation

Telecom Service Providers (TSP) are required to ensure thorough verification of each entity before assigning a number from the 160 series. Entities must use these numbers solely for service and transactional calls. For example, calls from financial entities such as RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDA will start from 1601.

Purpose

The introduction of the 160 series aims to prevent fraudsters from deceiving consumers using regular 10-digit numbers and ensure that important calls are not missed.