TRAI weighs allowing callbacks on 1600 numbers used by banks, insurers: What it means for customers
The second industry executive said Reliance Jio, too, was not in favour of allowing incoming calls on the 1600-number series.
- Aug 27, 2026,
- Updated Aug 27, 2026 5:30 AM IST
Banks and financial institutions may soon be able to receive callbacks from customers on their 1600-series numbers, a move being discussed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to make service and transaction-related calls easier to verify and follow up on, according to a report by The Mint.
However, telecom operators have raised concerns that the move could affect their business from toll-free 1800-series numbers.
Trai is discussing the proposal with telecom operators, according to two industry executives and a government official aware of the matter. The 1600-number series is currently used by banks and other financial institutions for outbound service and transaction-related calls, but customers cannot call the same number back.
The proposed callback facility could help customers reconnect with their bank or insurer after receiving a call about a payment, service or transaction, reducing uncertainty over whether the call was genuine and how to follow up.
Don't Miss: AI boom is helping offset oil shock, but global economy still faces risks, warns IMF
“In one of the meetings (with Trai), banks raised a concern that users cannot call back 1600 numbers, creating friction when they need to follow up on a call or transaction,” the official said, adding that the decision for a callback feature will be purely based on technical and commercial feasibility between banks and telecom operators.
Telcos flag impact on 1800 numbers
Telecom operators have told Trai that allowing incoming calls on the 1600 series could hurt their business from 1800 toll-free numbers, where call volumes are high and the businesses receiving the calls bear the cost.
“In one of the meetings (with Trai) in June, the Cellular Operators Association of India (Coai) highlighted some risks associated with directly providing the incoming facility for 1600,” the first industry executive said, adding that selling 1800 numbers generates significant revenue for telcos, and a clarity is needed on how the two number series can coexist without affecting the business.
A toll-free 1800 number allows customers to call a business without paying for the call, while the business bears the incoming call costs. According to Airtel’s website, basic plans for toll-free numbers start at ₹1,500–₹2,500 per month, with per-minute charges of ₹1.5–₹4 depending on volume.
“Trai also advised telcos to submit the network diagram (for 1600 series callback), along with the proposed solution and the challenges involved for detailed discussions,” the industry executive said, adding that deliberations on the issue continue.
The second industry executive said Reliance Jio, too, was not in favour of allowing incoming calls on the 1600-number series.
Queries emailed to Coai, Reliance Jio and Trai on Friday remained unanswered till press time.
Why banks want callbacks
The 1600 series can only be used by the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector for outbound service and transaction calls. Customers currently have to use the toll-free or customer service numbers listed on the websites of banks and other financial institutions if they want to get in touch after receiving a 1600-series call.
"We have requested the telecom regulator to allow callback on the 1600 series, and we understand that telcos are examining the feasibility. The main challenge remain about people not picking up calls from this number series, impacting business connections and related costs. Customer awareness, along with a callback feature, will improve utility and meet the policy objective," said Sugandh Saxena, chief executive officer (CEO) of Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE).
Saxena said the fintech industry had spent the past six months moving to the 1600 series as part of efforts to curb fraud using telecom resources.
"we will continue to engage with Trai on industry experience, so that the ecosystem can evolve the right solutions to meet the objective of trustworthy and effective business communication with consumers," she added.
How the 1600 series came into use
Banks and financial services companies earlier relied on regular 10-digit mobile numbers to contact customers, making it harder for people to distinguish genuine calls from potential scam calls.
To address this issue, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), following Trai's recommendations in 2024, issued 10-digit numbers beginning with the 1600 series exclusively for service and transactional calls by banks and financial institutions.
Last year, Trai mandated companies in the BFSI sector to migrate to the 1600 series for transaction and service calls by March 2026.
Banks and other eligible entities pay telecom operators for subscribing to and using 1600 numbers, along with associated voice and telecom services.
Must Read: Expired food, pests, foul smell: Posh Delhi hotels booked for BRICS summit under FSSAI lens
1600, 140 series face spam concerns
The 1600 series has also come under scrutiny over concerns around spam and caller identification. Last month, the 1600 series for transaction calls and the 140 series used for promotional and marketing calls were at the centre of a controversy after Truecaller criticised Trai's directive barring caller ID apps from labelling calls from these numbers as spam.
“A key objective of assigning designated series for these important communications is to make such calls trustworthy for the customers/ citizen,” Trai had said in a release on 10 July, adding that any tagging, blocking or filtering of the calls from these numbers are not allowed.
However, customers can allow or block promotional calls originating from 140 series numbers by registering their preference on Trai's Do Not Disturb (DND) registry, the regulator said.
Truecaller CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala had told Mint last month that the designated series, including 1600 for banks and insurers and 140 for promotional calls, were increasingly being misused for spam calls.
“If one lakh people on Truecaller are saying this is spam and yet we are not allowed to mark it as spam, then how are consumers benefiting from this?” he had said.
The Truecaller app uses community feedback to identify and flag suspected spam calls.
Trai has also asked telecom operators to update it on complaints related to the 1600 series. Between April and June, a total of 1.15 billion calls originated from 1600-series numbers, while 13.16 billion calls originated from the 140 series, according to a Trai report.
The callback proposal is now being examined as Trai weighs customer convenience and trust against the commercial implications for telecom operators and the existing 1800 toll-free ecosystem.
Banks and financial institutions may soon be able to receive callbacks from customers on their 1600-series numbers, a move being discussed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to make service and transaction-related calls easier to verify and follow up on, according to a report by The Mint.
However, telecom operators have raised concerns that the move could affect their business from toll-free 1800-series numbers.
Trai is discussing the proposal with telecom operators, according to two industry executives and a government official aware of the matter. The 1600-number series is currently used by banks and other financial institutions for outbound service and transaction-related calls, but customers cannot call the same number back.
The proposed callback facility could help customers reconnect with their bank or insurer after receiving a call about a payment, service or transaction, reducing uncertainty over whether the call was genuine and how to follow up.
Don't Miss: AI boom is helping offset oil shock, but global economy still faces risks, warns IMF
“In one of the meetings (with Trai), banks raised a concern that users cannot call back 1600 numbers, creating friction when they need to follow up on a call or transaction,” the official said, adding that the decision for a callback feature will be purely based on technical and commercial feasibility between banks and telecom operators.
Telcos flag impact on 1800 numbers
Telecom operators have told Trai that allowing incoming calls on the 1600 series could hurt their business from 1800 toll-free numbers, where call volumes are high and the businesses receiving the calls bear the cost.
“In one of the meetings (with Trai) in June, the Cellular Operators Association of India (Coai) highlighted some risks associated with directly providing the incoming facility for 1600,” the first industry executive said, adding that selling 1800 numbers generates significant revenue for telcos, and a clarity is needed on how the two number series can coexist without affecting the business.
A toll-free 1800 number allows customers to call a business without paying for the call, while the business bears the incoming call costs. According to Airtel’s website, basic plans for toll-free numbers start at ₹1,500–₹2,500 per month, with per-minute charges of ₹1.5–₹4 depending on volume.
“Trai also advised telcos to submit the network diagram (for 1600 series callback), along with the proposed solution and the challenges involved for detailed discussions,” the industry executive said, adding that deliberations on the issue continue.
The second industry executive said Reliance Jio, too, was not in favour of allowing incoming calls on the 1600-number series.
Queries emailed to Coai, Reliance Jio and Trai on Friday remained unanswered till press time.
Why banks want callbacks
The 1600 series can only be used by the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector for outbound service and transaction calls. Customers currently have to use the toll-free or customer service numbers listed on the websites of banks and other financial institutions if they want to get in touch after receiving a 1600-series call.
"We have requested the telecom regulator to allow callback on the 1600 series, and we understand that telcos are examining the feasibility. The main challenge remain about people not picking up calls from this number series, impacting business connections and related costs. Customer awareness, along with a callback feature, will improve utility and meet the policy objective," said Sugandh Saxena, chief executive officer (CEO) of Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE).
Saxena said the fintech industry had spent the past six months moving to the 1600 series as part of efforts to curb fraud using telecom resources.
"we will continue to engage with Trai on industry experience, so that the ecosystem can evolve the right solutions to meet the objective of trustworthy and effective business communication with consumers," she added.
How the 1600 series came into use
Banks and financial services companies earlier relied on regular 10-digit mobile numbers to contact customers, making it harder for people to distinguish genuine calls from potential scam calls.
To address this issue, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), following Trai's recommendations in 2024, issued 10-digit numbers beginning with the 1600 series exclusively for service and transactional calls by banks and financial institutions.
Last year, Trai mandated companies in the BFSI sector to migrate to the 1600 series for transaction and service calls by March 2026.
Banks and other eligible entities pay telecom operators for subscribing to and using 1600 numbers, along with associated voice and telecom services.
Must Read: Expired food, pests, foul smell: Posh Delhi hotels booked for BRICS summit under FSSAI lens
1600, 140 series face spam concerns
The 1600 series has also come under scrutiny over concerns around spam and caller identification. Last month, the 1600 series for transaction calls and the 140 series used for promotional and marketing calls were at the centre of a controversy after Truecaller criticised Trai's directive barring caller ID apps from labelling calls from these numbers as spam.
“A key objective of assigning designated series for these important communications is to make such calls trustworthy for the customers/ citizen,” Trai had said in a release on 10 July, adding that any tagging, blocking or filtering of the calls from these numbers are not allowed.
However, customers can allow or block promotional calls originating from 140 series numbers by registering their preference on Trai's Do Not Disturb (DND) registry, the regulator said.
Truecaller CEO Rishit Jhunjhunwala had told Mint last month that the designated series, including 1600 for banks and insurers and 140 for promotional calls, were increasingly being misused for spam calls.
“If one lakh people on Truecaller are saying this is spam and yet we are not allowed to mark it as spam, then how are consumers benefiting from this?” he had said.
The Truecaller app uses community feedback to identify and flag suspected spam calls.
Trai has also asked telecom operators to update it on complaints related to the 1600 series. Between April and June, a total of 1.15 billion calls originated from 1600-series numbers, while 13.16 billion calls originated from the 140 series, according to a Trai report.
The callback proposal is now being examined as Trai weighs customer convenience and trust against the commercial implications for telecom operators and the existing 1800 toll-free ecosystem.