Have you been receiving fewer spam calls lately? The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is responsible for the new calling regulations. To protect customers from fraud and unwanted telemarketing calls, TRAI has introduced new guidelines for phone calls made using the 140 and 160 number series.
In this blog, we’ll simplify these regulations so you can understand what they mean for businesses and how they affect everyday mobile users.
The 140 number series is used for promotional and telemarketing calls. The chances are that if you receive a call starting with “140”, it is from a business trying to sell you something, run a campaign, or share a deal with you.
Why this matters:
- All promotional calls are now required to use this specific number series.
- When people block unwanted calls, they are able to identify and stop them.
The newly introduced 160 number series is reserved for service or transactional calls — like:
- Bank updates
- Delivery confirmations
- Payment reminders
- Appointment notifications
Why this matters:
- You can trust these calls because they are informational, not promotional.
- Helps separate important calls from marketing calls.
The problem of spam and fraudulent calls has become a major issue in India. People often receive fake bank calls, phishing attempts, or misleading offers.
To tackle this growing issue, TRAI introduced these rules to:
- Protect people who registered for Do Not Disturb (DND).
- Identify call types easily.
- Build transparency and trust between consumers and businesses.
Businesses must now:
- Register as telemarketers with TRAI if they wish to make promotional calls.
- Use the 140 series for promotional communication.
- Use the 160 series for transactional or service updates.
- Make sure their communication is compliant and transparent.
Benefits for businesses:
- Increases customer trust.
- Reduces the risk of getting flagged as spam.
- Helps in targeted communication.
These regulations are made with customer safety in mind.
Here’s how you benefit:
- Know the purpose of the call just by looking at the number.
- Avoid fraud or phishing scams.
- Filter out spam while still receiving important service updates.
| Number Series | Used For | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 140 | Promotional/Marketing | To sell or promote a product |
| 160 | Transactional/Service | Informational or service-based |
- Activate DND: Register for Do Not Disturb services with your telecom operator.
- Check the number prefix: Identify the nature of the call.
- Report suspicious calls: Use your telecom operator’s spam reporting option.
- Never share OTPs or personal info over unknown calls.
The introduction of the 140 and 160 calling regulations by TRAI marks a big move toward a safer and more organized communication system. By clearly separating promotional calls (140 series) from service-related calls (160 series), both businesses and customers benefit from greater transparency and trust.
For businesses, this is the right time to align your calling practices with the new rules to maintain credibility and ensure compliance.
For customers, it means fewer unwanted calls and a better ability to recognize genuine service updates.
At PRP Services, we’re here to help you adapt smoothly to these new changes with compliant and effective communication solutions.