The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced a new phone number series, 1601, designated for service and transactional calls by utilities and logistics companies, effective from August 2026. This series is distinct from the existing 1600 series used by banking and government entities. Telecom operators are required to onboard and verify eligible businesses within 90 days, ensuring the 1601 series is not used for promotional calls, according to medianama.com.
TRAI's directive specifies that the 1601 series will be allocated directly to eligible entities in the utilities and courier sectors during the first phase of implementation. Eligible entities include electricity distribution companies, water utilities, city gas distributors, LPG providers, courier companies, express logistics firms, parcel delivery services, and freight logistics providers. Telecom service providers must verify the eligibility of these businesses and complete the onboarding process within the stipulated 90-day period. The regulator emphasized that intermediaries or aggregators are not eligible for this series, reinforcing a direct allocation model, as detailed by medianama.com.
This move aims to streamline service and transactional communications for critical sectors such as utilities and logistics, reducing misuse of phone numbers for promotional purposes. The 1601 series complements the existing 1600 series, which caters to banking, financial services, insurance, and government entities. By segregating these communication channels, TRAI seeks to enhance transparency and trust in service-related calls, aligning with broader regulatory efforts to protect consumers from unsolicited marketing, per medianama.com.
The 90-day deadline for telecom operators to onboard and verify eligible entities for the 1601 series begins from the date of TRAI's announcement in August 2026, marking a key milestone in the implementation of this regulatory framework.