TRAI asks Truecaller to replace the ‘Frequently Blocked’ tag on 140 and 1600 number series with awareness about the official Do Not Disturb (DND) service.

Key Highlights

• TRAI has objected to Truecaller’s ‘Frequently Blocked’ tag on 140 and 1600 number series.
• Regulator says users should instead be informed about the official Do Not Disturb (DND) service.
• TRAI wants greater awareness of the official spam-blocking mechanism.
• The 1600 series is reserved for important service and transactional calls.
• The 140 series is designated for registered promotional calls.
• Important alerts from banks, financial institutions and government agencies may originate from 1600 numbers.
• TRAI believes misleading tags could cause users to ignore critical calls.
• The regulator has urged Truecaller to guide users towards DND rather than labelling these numbers.

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TRAI Raises Concern Over Truecaller Tags

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has raised objections to Truecaller displaying the “Frequently Blocked” label on phone numbers belonging to the 140 and 1600 series. According to the regulator, such tagging could discourage users from answering legitimate and important calls.

Instead of displaying warning labels, TRAI has asked the caller identification platform to educate users about the official Do Not Disturb (DND) service, which allows subscribers to control unwanted promotional calls through a regulated mechanism.

Focus on DND Awareness

A TRAI official said the solution lies in increasing public awareness about the DND system so that users understand the options already available to manage spam and promotional calls.

The regulator believes directing users towards DND would be more effective than displaying tags that may create unnecessary confusion about legitimate numbers.

Why the 140 and 1600 Series Matter

TRAI has mandated the use of the 1600 number series for service and transactional communications from regulated entities such as banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and government agencies.

These numbers may carry important information, including transaction confirmations, fraud alerts, OTP-related notifications and public service communications.

Meanwhile, the 140 series is reserved for registered promotional calls made by authorised businesses across different sectors.

Risk of Missing Important Calls

According to TRAI, displaying a “Frequently Blocked” tag on these number series could lead users to ignore or reject calls that may contain critical financial or government-related information.

The regulator has therefore advised Truecaller to replace such labels with information encouraging users to activate or manage the official DND facility, ensuring they can control promotional calls without missing essential communications.