How India's caller name display rule (CNAP) will work from November 1

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators to start Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) on November 1. Under the system, an incoming call shows the caller's name alongside the number. According to Nagaland Post, which carried a PTI report, the order is a circular dated October 13, and it says the service is meant to curb online fraud.

Where and for whom

Operators must introduce CNAP on 4G and higher-generation wireless networks in all service areas. DoT said 2G, 3G and the public switched telephone network (landlines) will be considered separately after further examination, and no dates were given for them, according to Telangana Today (IANS). Business Today reports that the display will be on by default for 4G and 5G users, and the IANS report says eligible users do not need to apply.

DNA India reports that Airtel, Jio and Vodafone Idea have completed trials on wireless networks, and that the order follows recommendations made by the telecom regulator on February 23, 2024.

Which name appears

• If the caller's number is saved in the recipient's contacts, the saved contact name is shown first.
• If it is not saved, the phone shows the name recorded in the calling operator's subscriber database. Business Today describes this as the name in the caller's SIM KYC records.
• Calls from abroad are labeled as international calls rather than given a name.
• Callers who have opted for calling line identification restriction (CLIR) will not have their names shown, according to the PTI and DNA India reports.
• Business and bulk connections may show a preferred name instead. It must be a trademark registered in the subscriber's name or a trade name verified on the GST portal. For new bulk connections, operators must record the preferred name in the application and subscriber record. For existing ones, operators must offer a way to apply, and may update the record after verification (PTI).

Operator obligations

Operators must follow a security-by-design approach, according to the IANS report. The system that fetches a caller's name should not keep that name once the call ends, and networks must handle the lookups without hurting call quality. DNA India adds that operators must set up a way for users to report and resolve CNAP complaints within a set time. The IANS report ties the framework to Rule 48(1) of the Telecommunications (Authorisation for Provision of Principal Telecommunication Services) Rules, 2026, which it says requires authorized entities to present caller line identity securely and prevent tampering.

Truecaller's response

Business Today reports that Truecaller chief executive Rishit Jhunjhunwala called CNAP a complementary function and said it does not affect the app's service. He said that a name alone does not stop spam and fraud calls, and that Truecaller relies on real-time signals and community input to flag suspicious patterns. He also said the SIM owner's name is only partly useful.

What the reports leave open

The reports describe the source of the displayed name slightly differently: Business Today refers to SIM KYC records, while the IANS and PTI reports refer to the operator's subscriber database. None of the reports read give a date for extending the service beyond 4G and 5G.