The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on August 10, 2026, notified regarding the 1601-series numbers for service and transactional calls by Non- BFSI Entities.
The following has been stated:
• It has issued a Direction for the use of 1601-series numbers for transactional and service-related voice calls by eligible entities in sectors other than Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI) and Government, which already use the 1600-series. Under Phase-I, the 1601-series will be allocated to eligible entities in the Utilities sector, including electricity distribution companies, water utilities, city gas distribution companies and LPG distributors, and the Courier and Logistics sector, including courier, express logistics, parcel delivery, freight and logistics service providers. The numbers will be allotted directly to eligible entities, not intermediaries or aggregators, after verification by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).
• TSPs have been directed to complete the onboarding and migration of eligible Phase-I entities within 90 days from the date of issuance of the Direction. TSPs shall verify the eligibility of entities before allotting 1601-series numbers and obtain an undertaking that the numbers will be used exclusively for service and transactional voice calls and not for promotional calls. The distinct numbering series is intended to help consumers identify legitimate calls more easily and reduce impersonation and fraud using ordinary 10-digit numbers.
[Press Release No. 113/2026]
