The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) says calls from 1600 number series, reserved for government and regulated entities, can't be blocked by any app. TRAI clarified this on July 10,2026, amid row with caller ID app Truecaller over call identification rules .
Under the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), TRAI insists no tagging, blocking,or filtering of these 1600 series calls is allowed. These numbers are for service and transaction calls from banking and financial entities regulated by bodies like RBI, SEBI,IRDAI,and PFRDA. Goal: build trust in these communications.
But calls from 140 series, meant for registered telemarketers, can be blocked differently. TRAI allows users to block promotional calls from this series Do Not Disturb (DND) registry, letting customers control which promotional communications they accept.
TRAI stresses filtering or tagging of 140 series calls isn't allowed, except through DND registry. Aim: prevent misleading tags that confuse customers who opted in for certain calls.
Truecaller slammed TRAI's rules,claiming spammers exploit the directive . Rishit Jhunjhunwala, Truecaller's CEO,noted over 525,000 users mark these calls as spam daily. He questioned why users can't flag unwanted calls as spam.
Jhunjhunwala noted a spike in spam from both 140 and 1600 series, with over 51 million calls going unanswered daily. Blocking actions against 1600 series,meant for legit services,surged: 74 million blocks in eight months, a 208% jump since October 2025 .
TRAI has asked the Ministry of Electronics and IT for power to act against apps violating its anti-spam rules. TRAI's stance: 1600 and 140 series calls shouldn't be marked as spam, crucial for keeping communication integrity .
Debate rages on, with big stakes for consumers and telecom firms. TRAI's push to manage call ID and spam is part of a larger effort to shield consumers from unwanted calls while ensuring vital services reach people.
