The Ministry Of Communications’ Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators to roll out calling name presentations (CNAP) across their service areas from November 1, 2026. This will allow users to see the caller’s name alongside their phone number without necessarily saving contact details beforehand.
The rollout follows an amendment to the definition of calling line identification (CLI) under the unified licence agreement, which will also take effect on November 1.
The revised definition includes the caller’s name as recorded in telecom operators’ subscriber databases. However, contacts saved will continue to remain unchanged.
CNAP will be enabled by default on 4G and higher-generation wireless networks, without requiring users to opt in. Its rollout on 2G and 3G networks and landline connections will be examined separately.
Callers who have activated the calling line identification restriction (CLIR) facility to hide their identity will be exempt from this.
The originating telecom service provider (TSP) must maintain a database linking subscribers’ names to their telephone identifiers, which the recipient’s operator will query to display the caller’s name without retaining it after the call ends.
DoT has also allowed business and bulk-connection users to display a preferred name instead of the one in their subscriber records, provided it is backed by a trademark registered with the Trade marks registry or a trade name registered on the goods and services tax (GST) portal. These users can also request changes, subject to verification
Telecom operators, including the likes of Jio, Airtel, Vodafone, must verify the supporting documents before approving the change.
The guidelines require telecom operators to protect users’ privacy by ensuring caller names are not stored after a call ends. They must also ensure their networks can handle caller identification requests without affecting service quality and set up systems to address complaints related to the service.
The rollout follows trials conducted by telecom operators on 4G and higher-generation networks and the TRAI’s recommendations issued in February 2024.
Last year in October, TRAI supported making CNAP available by default, departing from its earlier proposal to activate the service only upon user request.
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