10-Digit Number Series Introduced To Help Check Fraud Calls 

The central goverment has announced a new numbering series, '160xxxxxxx', for service or transactional calls. T

The DoT stated that telecom service providers (TSPs) must conduct thorough verification of each entity before assigning a number from the 160 series. Representative image.

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In a bid to check the increasing instances of phone call fraud, the Centre has introduced a unique 10-digit number series to help users distinguish between authentic and fraudulent calls. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has assigned the '160' prefix for these 10-digit numbers, which will be used by government entities, regulatory authorities, and financial institutions for public communication, the media has reported.

The central goverment has announced a new numbering series, '160xxxxxxx', for service or transactional calls. This initiative aims to help citizens to easily identify legitimate calls and reduce unwanted calls from telemarketers using standard 10-digit mobile numbers. Currently, the 140xxxxxxx series is assigned to telemarketers for promotional, service, and transactional calls.

This Number Series To Help Distinguish Between Authentic And Fraud Calls

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) stated in a statement that because the 140xx series is widely used for promotional calls, consumers often ignore these calls, resulting in many important service or transactional calls being missed.

The DoT's official note said: "It has been decided to allocate a separate numbering series 160 exclusively for service and transactional voice calls as per Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR) 2018."

For financial institutions regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA), a similar phone number format will be used, featuring the '160' prefix but with a slight modification.

The DoT stated that telecom service providers (TSPs) must conduct thorough verification of each entity before assigning a number from the 160 series. The entities are required to use these numbers exclusively for service or transactional calls. If users suspect fraudulent communications, they can report them through the Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in).

As of February 2024, India has a total of 1.19 billion telecom subscribers, according to TRAI. Teclo Reliance Jio leads the market, holding a 52.2 per cent share.