Quick Answer
Voice SMS, also called a bulk voice call or OBD (outbound dialling), automatically calls a list of numbers and plays a recorded or text-to-speech message when the call is answered. It reaches people who do not read SMS and works on mobiles and landlines. SMSGatewayHub sends voice broadcasts and voice OTPs in Hindi, English and 10+ regional languages via panel, app or API, with DTMF response capture and Pay As You Go pricing.
What types of voice calls can you send?
Under TRAI's amended TCCCPR rules, the purpose of an auto-dialled call decides which number series it uses and whether consent and preference blocking apply. Classify each campaign before you launch it.
| Call type | Examples | Number series | DND & consent |
|---|
| Promotional voice broadcast | Sale announcements, launches, festival offers, event invitations | 140 series from a registered sender | Customer preferences apply; explicit consent needed to reach people who have blocked promotions |
| Service & transactional calls (BFSI) | EMI and premium reminders, account alerts, payment confirmations by banks, NBFCs, insurers, brokers and pension entities | 1600 series for entities regulated by RBI, SEBI, PFRDA and IRDAI | Service and transactional content only, no offers |
| Service & transactional calls (others) | Appointment reminders, delivery updates, COD confirmation, exam alerts for your own customers | Approved non-promotional number from your registered sender setup | Service content only; any offer makes it promotional |
| Voice OTP | Login and payment codes read aloud, whole or digit by digit | Transactional / service route | Sent in response to the user's own request |
Every sender must tell its originating access provider in advance that it uses auto-dialers or robo-calls and why. Read the full TRAI regulations summary and see real scripts on voice call use cases.
What changed in the latest TRAI rules for voice calls?
Four rule changes now decide whether a bulk voice campaign is connected or blocked.
140 series for promotional calls
Promotional robo-calls and auto-dialled campaigns must originate from 140-series numbers, never from ordinary 10-digit mobile or landline numbers.
1600 series for regulated BFSI
Banks, NBFCs, insurers, mutual funds, brokers and pension entities must place service and transactional calls from the 1600 series so customers can recognise genuine calls. BFSI messaging
Robo-call declaration
Senders must notify their access provider in advance about auto-dialer or robo-call use and the purpose of the calls. SMSGatewayHub helps you set this up correctly.
Strict action on unregistered callers
Commercial calls from unregistered senders can lead to disconnection and blacklisting. Register first with our DLT registration guidance.
Why SMSGatewayHub
Why choose SMSGatewayHub over other voice SMS providers?
Voice campaigns depend on clean audio, the right number series, honest reports and fair billing. Here is what you get with SMSGatewayHub.
Hindi and 10+ regional languages
Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi and Odia, with recorded audio or text-to-speech. Regional language messaging
No setup or monthly fees
No setup, licence or monthly costs; buy credits as you need them, and get free integration code with the 10,000-credit pack. Voice SMS pricing
Panel, mobile app or API
Launch a broadcast in one click from the web software or mobile app, or trigger calls from your system with the communications API.
DTMF responses and IVR hand-off
Capture key presses for surveys, confirmations and lead qualification, and transfer interested callers to your cloud IVR or team.
Certified security
ISO 27001, ISO 9001:2015, SOC 2 and VAPT tested, so contact lists and OTP flows stay protected. Trust Center
Trusted since 2009
10,000+ registered businesses and 2,000+ enterprise clients, 24/7 support and a toll-free sales line, 1800 102 1822.
| Question to ask any voice SMS provider | SMSGatewayHub |
|---|
| Are there setup, licence or monthly charges? | No. You buy credits only when you need them. |
| Which number series will my promotional and service calls use? | We route each campaign on the series its purpose requires: 140 for promotional, 1600 for regulated BFSI service calls. |
| Can I send in my customers' language? | Yes, Hindi, English and 10+ regional languages, recorded or text-to-speech. |
| Can listeners respond by pressing keys? | Yes, DTMF responses are captured in reports and can transfer to an agent or IVR. |
| Can I send OTPs by voice? | Yes, whole-code or digit-by-digit voice OTP, ideal as an SMS fallback. Voice OTP pricing |
| Can I test before I buy? | Yes. Create a free account and ask for a voice demo. |
Worried your caller ID shows as spam? Read why default CLI numbers get flagged and how a dedicated number fixes it.
Voice SMS use cases by industry
Each card links to a dedicated industry page with workflows and messaging samples.
E-commerce & D2C
COD confirmation by key press, failed-delivery reattempt calls and sale announcements. Messaging for e-commerce
Hospitals & clinics
Appointment and vaccination reminders that work well for elderly and low-literacy patients. Messaging for hospitals
Schools & coaching
Admission campaigns, exam schedules, results and school closure alerts to every parent. Messaging for education
Logistics & courier
Delivery scheduling, missed-delivery reattempt and COD confirmation for customers without smartphone apps. Messaging for logistics
Elections & public outreach
Candidate messages, voter awareness and internal elections such as society, advocate and farmer polls, following applicable election rules. Bulk messaging for elections
Retail & rural marketing
Store openings, festive offers and product launches in local languages for Tier-2 and Tier-3 audiences. Retail use cases
Sample voice SMS scripts
Keep messages short (20-30 seconds), say the brand name first and give one clear action. Each script can be recorded or generated with text-to-speech.
| Campaign | Sample script | Call type |
|---|
| Voice OTP | "Your ABC login code is 4 8 2 9 1 3. Again, 4 8 2 9 1 3. Do not share it with anyone." | Transactional |
| EMI reminder (BFSI) | "This is ABC Finance. Your EMI is due on 05 November. Press 1 if already paid, press 2 to speak to us." | Service, 1600 series |
| COD confirmation | "Your ABC Store order will be delivered tomorrow. Press 1 to confirm cash on delivery, press 2 to cancel." | Service |
| Appointment reminder | "City Clinic reminds you of your appointment with Dr. Mehta on 14 October at 11 AM. Press 1 to confirm." | Service |
| Festival sale | "Namaste! ABC Jewellers' Diwali sale starts this Friday at all our stores. Press 1 to get the store address by SMS." | Promotional, 140 series |
| Feedback survey | "Thank you for visiting ABC Motors. Rate our service from 1 to 5 on your keypad." | Service |
Listen to more sample voices on our voice call use cases page and turn key presses into follow-ups with 2-way messaging.
How to send your first bulk voice call
Create your account
Sign up free and request voice SMS activation from our team.
Register as a sender
Complete DLT registration and declare your auto-dialled campaign purpose; BFSI entities use their 1600-series number for service calls.
Upload audio or text
Upload a recorded clip or type the message for text-to-speech in Hindi, English or a regional language, and add DTMF options.
Upload your list and schedule
Import numbers in the panel or desktop application, or call the developer API, and schedule the broadcast.
Track and follow up
Review answered calls, duration and key presses in reports, then follow up by SMS or WhatsApp.
Voice campaign compliance checklist
Run through these before every outbound voice broadcast.
- Sender registered and auto-dialer / robo-call use declared to the access provider
- Promotional campaigns sent only on 140-series numbers
- BFSI service and transactional calls placed from the 1600 series
- Promotional lists checked against customer preferences, with consent where required
- No offers inside service or transactional calls
- Brand name in the first seconds and a clear opt-out or contact option
- Election campaigns follow applicable election commission rules
Voice SMS resource map
Everything related to voice calls on SMSGatewayHub, grouped by what you need to do next.
Voice SMS vs text SMS vs cloud IVR: which do you need?
Use voice SMS when your audience may not read a text, prefers their own language, uses a feature phone or a landline, or when a human voice simply gets more attention, as with reminders, invitations and rural campaigns. Use text SMS when the message must be kept for reference, such as links, order numbers or codes the user will copy, and add voice OTP as a fallback when an SMS OTP is delayed.
Voice SMS is outbound: you call a list. Cloud IVR is inbound: customers call your number and choose from a menu. They work best together on one SMSGatewayHub account, where a broadcast invites a key press and the IVR or an agent handles the response. For ideas, browse voice call use cases and read SMS, voice, RCS and WhatsApp marketing for real estate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is voice SMS?
Voice SMS, also called a bulk voice call, voice broadcast or OBD, automatically calls a list of numbers and plays a pre-recorded or text-to-speech message when the call is answered. SMSGatewayHub sends voice SMS to mobile and landline numbers in Hindi, English and 10+ regional languages.
Which TRAI rules apply to bulk voice calls in India?
Under TRAI's amended TCCCPR rules, promotional robo-calls and auto-dialled calls must come from 140-series numbers sent by a registered sender, and customer preferences and consent apply. Entities regulated by RBI, SEBI, PFRDA and IRDAI must make service and transactional calls from the 1600 series. Every sender must declare auto-dialer or robo-call use to its access provider in advance.
Which languages does SMSGatewayHub support for voice SMS?
SMSGatewayHub supports Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi and Odia, using either recorded audio files or text-to-speech.
Can I send OTP by voice call?
Yes. SMSGatewayHub voice OTP reads the code aloud as a whole number or digit by digit. It helps landline users, elderly customers and anyone whose SMS OTP is delayed, so many businesses use SMS OTP first and voice OTP as a fallback.
Can listeners respond to a voice call?
Yes. Add DTMF options such as press 1 to confirm or press 2 to talk to us. Responses are captured in your reports and can transfer the caller to an agent or your cloud IVR.
How much does voice SMS cost?
SMSGatewayHub uses Pay As You Go pricing for voice SMS, with no setup, licence or monthly charges; cost depends on call duration and volume. See https://www.smsgatewayhub.com/bulk-sms-pricing-voice-sms or talk to sales on 1800 102 1822.
What is the difference between voice SMS and cloud IVR?
Voice SMS is outbound: you broadcast a recorded message to a list. Cloud IVR is inbound: customers call your number and choose options on a menu. Both run on one SMSGatewayHub account and work together, with a broadcast prompting a key press and the IVR handling the response.
Reach every customer with a voice they understand
Create a free account, get a voice demo and launch your first compliant bulk voice campaign in Hindi, English or a regional language.