New Delhi: In a move to curb fraudulent callers across the country, the government on Thursday has made it mandatory for displaying the caller’s name and phone number in all incoming calls, even when the number is not saved in a user’s contacts. Users will soon not have any unknown callers, as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Telecommunications has also directed all telecom operators to introduce the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) services from November 1, 2026.
This service will be enabled by default for users on 4G and newer networks, including 5G. As a result, when someone calls you, your phone will display both their name and phone number through the CNAP system, according to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which has ordered all access service providers to introduce CNAP across every service area.
Under the DoT circular, the caller’s number will appear as it does today, with a second field showing the name. “If the number is saved in the recipient’s contacts, the contact name takes precedence. If it is not, a domestic call will show the name on record with the caller’s telecom operator, and an international call will show only the words “International Call”. Users who have opted for calling line identification restriction (CLIR) will not have their names displayed,” it said.
The DoT further said that each caller’s operator must maintain a database mapping names to numbers, which the recipient’s operator will query when a call comes in. The circular requires a “security-by-design” approach under which the query itself ensures the name is not retained once the call ends.
However, it is expected that holders of business or bulk connections may be offered a “preferred name” in place of the name on record, provided it is either a trademark registered with the trade marks registry or a trade name registered on the GST portal. The operator must verify it against original documents before display. Operators must also set up a time-bound grievance redressal mechanism for CNAP complaints.
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