Hyderabad: The Central government has directed all telecom operators to introduce the CNAP service from November 1 to help curb spam and fraudulent calls. The Calling Name Presentation system will display a caller’s name alongside the phone number on incoming calls. The Department of Telecommunications has made the service mandatory for telecom companies under the new directive.
Under the CNAP service, incoming calls on 4G and 5G networks will show both the caller’s number and name. However, if the recipient has already saved the number, the phone will display the name stored in their contacts. For unsaved domestic numbers, telecom operators will retrieve the subscriber’s registered name from their databases. Users provided that name when they obtained their SIM cards.
International calls will carry a separate “International Call” label. This indication will help recipients distinguish overseas calls from domestic ones. Meanwhile, the government plans to decide on extending the system to 2G, 3G and landline networks at a later stage.
CNAP service includes privacy safeguards for callers
The government has also outlined an option for people who want to protect their identity. Subscribers who activate Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) will not have their names displayed to other users. Therefore, the system will allow callers to restrict name presentation through the designated service.
For business and bulk connections, telecom operators may permit the display of a registered trademark or GST trade name after verification. This provision will allow eligible businesses to use their recognised registered names when making calls.
The government has also directed operators to adopt suitable safeguards against storing a caller’s name on the recipient’s phone after the call ends. These measures form part of the broader framework for the CNAP service. The government said the decision followed recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). It aims to provide users with a safer calling experience and help them identify incoming calls more easily.