TRAI Rolls Out 1601-Series for Utility, Logistics Service Calls to Curb Fraud

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has started the phased implementation of a dedicated 1601-series numbering plan for service and transactional voice calls made by entities outside the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector and government.

The move is aimed at building consumer trust and making it easier to identify genuine service calls, as well as preventing impersonation and fraud using regular mobile numbers.

In a direction issued Monday, TRAI said the 1601-series will initially cover entities in the utilities, courier and logistics sectors. BFSI and government bodies are currently using the existing 1600-series for service and transactional calls and the new series is being launched independently of it.

TRAI said separate numbering series will help ensure that important financial and government-related calls are not mixed with service calls originating from other sectors.

“The widespread adoption of the 1600-series by BFSI entities has provided valuable experience for extending the trusted numbering framework to other sectors,” the regulator said.

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Phase I Covers Utilities, Logistics:

Electricity distribution companies, water utilities, city gas distribution companies, LPG distribution entities and other utility service providers will be allocated the 1601-series in Phase I.

The framework will include courier companies, express logistics firms, parcel delivery providers and freight and logistics companies involved in delivery of consignments.

The eligible entities will be allotted numbers directly after verification by telecom service providers (TSPs). TRAI said the numbers will not be shared with intermediaries or aggregators.

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90-Day Migration Window:

Telecom service providers have been directed to complete the migration and onboarding of eligible entities covered under Phase I within 90 days from the issuance of the direction.

TSPs will also be required to verify the eligibility of every entity before assigning a 1601-series number and obtain an undertaking confirming that the number will be used exclusively for service and transactional voice calls.

Importantly, TRAI has clarified that the 1601-series cannot be used for promotional voice calls by any entity.

The dedicated numbering identity is expected to help curb impersonation fraud, where scammers use regular 10-digit mobile numbers while falsely claiming to represent legitimate businesses, the regulator said.

A separate numbering series could be used to help consumers identify genuine service and transactional calls and differentiate them from potentially fraudulent communications.

The rollout is part of the broader efforts of TRAI to strengthen the integrity of the Indian voice communications ecosystem and to curb abuse of telecom networks for fraudulent calls and spoofing.