NEW DELHI, OCT 16 (AGENCIES): The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed all telecom service providers to introduce Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) from November 1, 2026, enabling recipients to see callers’ names alongside their numbers without separate registration.
The service will initially be available on 4G and higher-generation networks, while implementation on 2G, 3G and landline networks will be considered separately. For saved contacts, the name stored in the recipient’s phone will appear; for unsaved domestic numbers, the name in the caller’s telecom subscriber records will be displayed. Unrecognised international calls will show “International Call” instead of the caller’s name.
The system will use databases maintained by originating telecom operators, with the recipient’s operator retrieving and displaying the caller’s name. Users who have opted for Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) under existing guidelines will be exempt from name display.
Operators may also allow businesses and bulk-connection users to display preferred names instead of those in subscriber records. Such names must be supported by either a registered trademark or a trade name registered on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) portal.
For new connections, the preferred name must be recorded in the customer application form and subscriber data record, supported by original registration documents. For existing connections, operators must provide a mechanism to apply for name updates, subject to verification. Operators must conduct due diligence and retain verified copies of supporting documents.
The DoT has also prescribed safeguards requiring operators to adopt a security-by-design approach, ensuring caller-name identity is not retained after a call ends. Networks and databases must efficiently handle queries and deliver information promptly without compromising service quality or violating applicable laws.
Telecom providers must establish grievance-redressal mechanisms to receive, record, maintain and resolve complaints within a specified timeframe. The Central Government may issue further instructions and clarifications.
The directions apply to all service providers authorised or licensed to provide access services and refer to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) recommendations dated February 23, 2024, on introducing CNAP, as well as DoT instructions dated November 21, 2025, concerning know-your-customer (KYC) issues during implementation.
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