New Delhi, May 30, 2024: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched a new numbering series, 160xxxxxxx, specifically for service and transactional calls. This initiative aims to help consumers easily identify legitimate calls and curb the increasing issue of unsolicited calls from telemarketers using regular 10-digit mobile numbers.
Addressing the Problem
Previously, the 140xxxxxxx series was allocated for promotional, service, and transactional calls. However, due to its extensive use for promotional calls, consumers often ignore calls from this series, leading to missed important service and transactional communications. To avoid this, genuine entities started using regular 10-digit numbers, creating an opportunity for fraudsters to deceive consumers.
Introducing the 160xxxxxxx Series
To solve this problem and restore consumer confidence, the DoT has introduced the 160xxxxxxx number series. This series will be exclusively used by legitimate entities for making service and transactional calls. For instance, calls from financial entities like RBI, SEBI, PFRDA, and IRDA will now start from 1601, making it easier for consumers to recognize and trust these calls.
Verification and Regulation
Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) are responsible for verifying entities before assigning a number from the 160 series. Entities must commit to using these numbers solely for service and transactional calls, in accordance with the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), 2018.
Enhancing Consumer Protection
Consumers can now have more confidence in the legitimacy of calls from the 160xxxxxxx series, thereby reducing the risk of falling victim to scams. The DoT also advises citizens to report any suspected fraudulent communications through the Chakshu facility at Sanchar Saathi (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in).
Furthermore, the DoT encourages consumers to activate the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) Do Not Disturb (DND) feature to block unwanted promotional calls, providing an additional layer of protection against spam.
Detailed Definitions
- Service Call: A voice call made with the recipient’s consent or using a registered template, primarily to facilitate, complete, or confirm a commercial transaction the recipient has previously agreed to or to provide warranty, product recall, safety, or security information about a product or service used by the recipient.
- Transactional Call: A non-promotional voice call for the purpose of alerting customers or account holders with time-critical information.
- Promotional Call: A commercial communication voice call made without the recipient’s explicit consent.
Further Information
For more details on the new numbering scheme, visit DoT’s Allocation of Separate Numbering Series for Service and Transactional Voice Calls.
This new initiative by the DoT is a significant step towards enhancing communication transparency and consumer protection in India’s telecommunication landscape.
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