The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has issued guidance on the roles of the 1600 and 140 number series. The two series have separate functions. Numbers beginning with 1600 are reserved for service and transaction messages, while those starting with 140 are intended only for promotional or marketing calls.
The 1600 series supports service and transaction calls from banks and financial institutions to existing customers, as well as government communications with citizens. Only entities in the banking and financial sector regulated by the Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, or Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority may use these numbers. Government departments are also permitted to employ them for citizen outreach.
Telecom operators and third-party applications may not label, screen, or block calls from the 1600 series.
The 140 series is designated exclusively for promotional calls by businesses in any sector. Companies must register with their telecom provider under TRAI commercial communication rules before using these numbers. Such calls fall under customer Do Not Disturb preferences. Users who have registered to block promotional calls from certain sectors or all sectors will not receive 140-series calls from those categories. Preferences can be set or updated via the TRAI DND App and other channels.
Operators may not label or screen 140-series calls except when blocking is required by a customer’s registered DND choice.
TRAI has outlined the main distinctions: 1600 calls cover service and government messages from regulated financial entities, while 140 calls are for marketing from any registered business. Blocking is not allowed for 1600 numbers but is permitted for 140 numbers when DND preferences apply.
