Getting calls from 1600 or 140 series? Know the difference between the two and whether you can block them

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a clarification on the purpose and functioning of the designated 1600 and 140 number series.

The regulator said these two series serve completely different purposes. While 1600-series numbers are reserved for service and transaction-related communications, 140-series numbers are exclusively meant for promotional or marketing calls.

What are 1600-series calls?

The 1600-series is meant for service and transaction calls made by banks and financial institutions to their existing customers, along with government-to-citizen communications.

These numbers can only be used by entities in the BFSI sector that are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), or Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

Government departments can also use this number for citizen-related communication.

Telecom operators or any third-party apps are not allowed to tag, filter, or block calls that begin with the 1600 series. Tagging means displaying labels such as “spam” or “suspected spam” on incoming calls, while filtering means screening or treating calls differently before they reach the customer.

What are 140-series calls?

The 140-series is meant exclusively for promotional or marketing calls made by businesses across sectors. Any company that wishes to make promotional calls using this series must first register with its telecom service provider under TRAI’s Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR).

Unlike the 1600 series, these calls are subject to customer preferences under the Do Not Disturb (DND) framework.

Customers who have opted out of promotional calls from specific sectors or from all sectors through the DND registry will not receive 140-series marketing calls from those categories. They can register or update their DND preferences using various channels, including the TRAI DND App.

TRAI has also clarified that telecom operators should not tag or filter 140-series calls, except where blocking is required based on a customer’s registered DND preference.

Key differences between 1600 and 140 series calls

In a post on X, TRAI highlighted the key differences between the 1600 and 140 calls.

Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only. Please visit the official website for the latest updates and guidelines.