New Delhi, September 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced a fresh set of measures to tighten regulations governing spam calls and commercial communications, including stricter requirements for automated and robocalls.
Under the new rules, commercial communication based on a consumer’s inquiry about a product or service will be allowed only for seven days from the date of the inquiry. The measure is aimed at restricting the period during which businesses can use such inquiries as the basis for promotional communication.
TRAI has also made it mandatory for automated calls using pre-recorded voice messages to carry a “pre-declaration”. Automated calls made without the required declaration will be treated as spam.
To further discourage unsolicited automated calls, the regulator has introduced a termination charge of Rs 0.05 per call. The charge is intended to act as an additional deterrent against the misuse of automated calling systems for commercial communication.
The latest measures come after TRAI directed telecom operators last month to begin onboarding entities from select non-financial sectors onto the new 1601-series numbering framework for transactional and service-related voice calls.
The framework expands a trusted numbering system already used by the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector. It is intended to help consumers distinguish genuine service and transactional calls from calls made through regular 10-digit mobile numbers, thereby helping curb impersonation and fraud.
TRAI has also issued directions on the use of 1601-series numbers by entities in sectors other than BFSI and government organisations, which currently use the 1600-series numbering framework.
According to the regulator, the widespread adoption of 1600-series numbers by BFSI entities has provided operational experience for expanding the trusted numbering framework to other sectors.
In the first phase, the 1601-series will be allotted to entities in the utilities sector. These include electricity distribution companies, water utilities, city gas distribution companies, LPG distributors and other utility service providers.
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