Caller Name Display to Roll Out from November 1

The Indian government is moving to introduce a caller identification feature that will display the names of people calling mobile users, reducing dependence on third-party applications such as Truecaller. The Caller Name Presentation (CNAP) service has been made mandatory, with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) directing telecom service providers to implement it from November 1. Under the system, the caller’s name, as recorded in the telecom operator’s subscriber database, will appear alongside the phone number when a call arrives from a number not saved in the recipient’s contacts. The initiative aims to help users identify unknown callers and tackle unwanted calls and potential spam.

According to the reported guidelines, CNAP will initially be available on high-speed 4G and 5G mobile networks, while details regarding support for 2G and 3G networks have not been announced. International incoming calls will display an “International Call” label instead of the caller’s name. Users will not be able to automatically retrieve and save an unknown caller’s number along with their name after the call; they will need to save the details manually. Subscribers who activate the Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) facility can have their names withheld from the recipient’s display. The service is expected to offer an additional layer of caller identification without requiring users to install a separate application, although its effectiveness will depend on the accuracy of subscriber records and implementation by telecom operators.