TRAI fixes Feb 15 deadline

New Delhi: Telecom regulator TRAI has mandated that entities regulated by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) should adopt, by February 15, 2026, the '1600' series numbers for making service and transactional calls to consumers. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said the direction has been issued with the objective of enhancing consumer trust, curbing spam, and preventing fraudulent activities perpetrated through voice calls. The series, it said, will enable people to reliably identify legitimate calls originating from such regulated entities. "TRAI issued a direction on December 16, 2025 mandating that the entities regulated by IRDAI should adopt '1600' series numbers by the last date of 15 February, 2026 for making service and transactional calls to the consumers," TRAI said in a statement.