The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has ordered telecom operators to display callers’ registered names by default on 4G and 5G networks across India from November 1, 2026. The caller name display order gives most users no way to opt out. Under the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service, a caller’s name from their operator’s subscriber records will appear whenever the person they call hasn’t saved their number, according to the DoT circular dated October 13.
Operators must provide the service “without the requirement of any separate request from such user,” the circular says.
Operators will withhold caller name only for users with the calling line identification restriction (CLIR) facility. DoT has restricted CLIR since 2015 to VIPs and government officials, and other users need a recommendation from senior police officers to get it, according to DoT’s guidelines.
DoT issued the circular under Rule 48 of the Telecommunications (Authorisation for Provision of Principal Telecommunication Services) Rules, 2026, which requires operators to present caller identification “in a manner that is secured from tampering,” and under the Unified Licence condition that requires operators to provide caller identification.
How did the opt-out disappear?
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended in February 2024 that operators offer CNAP only to users who request it. DoT pushed back in September 2025, asking for a default service, but said users who did not want it could ask their operators to disable it. TRAI agreed to a default service with an opt-out in October 2025.
However, the final caller name display circular includes no such opt-out. The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) argued in 2024 that CLIR’s restricted availability meant it “must not be considered a viable option for disabling CNAP.”
What will people see?
The screen will show the caller’s number and a name, chosen in this order:
- Saved contacts: The name the recipient has saved for the number.
- Unsaved domestic callers: The name in the caller’s subscriber records, which operators collect during know-your-customer (KYC) verification for the SIM.
- Unsaved international callers: The words “International Call.”
Each operator must maintain a database linking its subscribers’ numbers to their names, which the recipient’s operator queries during each call. Operators must ensure their databases and networks can handle these queries without affecting call quality.
What about privacy?
The circular requires operators to follow a “security-by-design approach,” in which the lookup “enforces non-retention of the calling name identity upon completion of the incoming call.” It does not say how anyone will check that operators don’t retain names, or how users can see what name their operator holds for them. It also does not mention the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 or caller consent.
Privacy concerns have followed CNAP since TRAI first proposed it in 2022. The Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) argued that disclosing a caller’s name without consent could violate their privacy, while TRAI chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said in 2024 there was “no privacy concern.” Names on screen could also help scammers tailor their calls to targets, as we explained in 2024.
Operators must set up grievance mechanisms for CNAP complaints and resolve them “in a time bound manner,” but the circular sets no timeline. DoT said it may issue further instructions and clarifications.
What changes for businesses?
Operators can let business and bulk connection holders display a “preferred name” in place of the name in their subscriber records. The preferred name must be either a trademark the business has registered with the Trade Marks Registry, or a trade name it has registered on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) portal. Businesses on existing connections can apply to their operator to switch, and operators must verify original documents and keep copies on record.
Operators have asked how they should attribute names when businesses use connections or families share them, ThePrint reported.
Who is left out?
The caller name display order covers only 4G and newer networks. DoT said it will consider 2G and 3G networks and landlines “separately, after examination of the matter,” so users of older networks won’t see caller names for now.
The circular also says nothing about phones. TRAI had recommended in 2024 that the government require CNAP support on all devices sold in India, so it is unclear whether every handset will display the names.
How long has the rollout taken?
Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) began trials in Haryana in November 2025, and Airtel in Himachal Pradesh, ThePrint reported. DoT had set March 2026 as the deadline for a national rollout. Vodafone Idea said it had launched CNAP on its network in May 2025.
The circular replaces DoT’s November 21, 2025 instructions on handling KYC problems during the rollout, such as incorrect names in customer application forms.
Also read:
- Stakeholders Highlight Problems With Indian Telecom Regulator’s Proposal To Identify Callers
- TRAI Recommends Revealing Caller Name To Address Spam Calls
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