The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom service providers to implement calling name presentation (CNAP) across all service areas from November 1, 2026, according to an order issued on October 13. As reported by the department, trials of the feature have already been carried out, with the introduction for 2G and 3G networks and public switched telephone networks to be taken up separately. The latest directive specifically mandates CNAP for 4G and higher-generation networks, bringing telecom-verified caller identification into the standard incoming-call experience. The new system is designed to combat rising phone scams in India and help users identify legitimate calls from potentially fraudulent calls, making it mandatory for mobile users to help people identify incoming calls from unknown numbers without needing to install third-party caller identification apps.
Operators must enable CNAP for all users by default, without subscribers having to request it, according to the DoT order. The recipient's screen will show the caller's number along with the name saved on their phone. If the number is not saved, the name registered in the operator's database will be displayed instead. Calls from abroad will be flagged as 'international call' to differentiate them from domestic calls. When a call arrives, the recipient's phone will show the caller's phone number and name. If the number is saved in the recipient's contacts, the saved name will be displayed, the DoT order said. For international calls, the screen will show 'International Call' to differentiate them from domestic calls. As per the latest order, when a call is received, the first field on the screen will show the caller's number, followed by the name saved in the recipient's contacts.
For businesses, the framework establishes conditions for displaying a preferred name instead of the name recorded in subscriber data, particularly relevant for organisations using business or bulk connections for customer service, sales and other outbound communication. Telecom operators may allow business and bulk-connection users to display a preferred name, but the name must qualify under specified registration requirements. It must either be a trademark registered in the user's name with the Trade Marks Registry or a trade name registered on the Goods and Services Tax portal. The originating telecom service provider will be responsible for verifying the preferred name and its supporting documents before permitting its display. Subscribers who want to update their business name displayed in the results will need to make a request. However, the names of users who have availed themselves of the Calling Line Identification Restriction facility will not be displayed under any circumstances.
Each operator will have to build, run and maintain a database mapping subscribers' names to their numbers, as reported by the DoT. The receiving operator will fetch the caller's name from this database and show it to the recipient. The system must follow a security-by-design approach, so the caller's name cannot be retained through the query-response process after the call ends. For the system to operate, each telecommunications service provider needs to create and maintain a database that connects subscribers' names to their telephone numbers. The receiving operator will retrieve the necessary data and display it during the incoming call. The DoT order has called for the telecom operators to implement a security-by-design methodology, ensuring that caller names retrieved through the query-response mechanism cannot be retained after the incoming call ends. Under the new mandate, each telecom operator is required to create and maintain a database that links subscribers' names with their phone numbers.
The government has implemented comprehensive privacy and security safeguards for the CNAP system to protect user data. Under these safeguards, telecom operators must ensure that the caller's name retrieved through the system's query-and-response process is not retained once the incoming call has ended. This privacy protection mechanism is designed to prevent unauthorized retention of personal information and maintain user confidentiality. The system will be enabled by default for users on 4G and newer networks, including 5G, starting November 1, 2026. The names of people who have activated the CLIR service to hide their caller ID will not be displayed under any circumstances. The circular refers to Rule 48(1) of the Telecommunications (Authorisation for Provision of Principal Telecommunication Services) Rules, 2026, which requires calling-line identification to be presented in a manner protected against tampering and in accordance with government-specified requirements.
