India to show names of unknown callers by default from November 1: How new caller ID service works

New Delhi: Identifying unknown callers on mobile phones is set to become easier, with telecom operators directed to introduce a built-in caller name identification service across India from November 1, 2026. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has instructed service providers to implement Calling Name Presentation (CNAP), which will display the caller’s name alongside their mobile number during an incoming call.

The service will be introduced by default on wireless networks using 4G and newer technologies, including 5G. Subscribers will not need to submit a separate request to activate the facility, offering a built-in alternative to third-party caller identification applications such as Truecaller.

The rollout is intended to help users identify callers before answering their phones, particularly when the incoming number is not saved in their contacts. However, the initial implementation will not cover all networks. The introduction of CNAP on 2G and 3G networks, as well as landline systems, will be considered separately.

How will the new caller identification service work?

Under CNAP, the recipient’s phone screen will display two details during an incoming call: the caller’s telephone number and their name.

If the number is saved in the recipient’s contacts, the name stored in the phone will appear. If the number is not saved, the system will retrieve the caller’s registered name from the originating telecom operator’s subscriber database for domestic calls.

For incoming international calls from numbers not saved in the recipient’s contacts, the screen will display “International Call” instead of the caller’s name.

To facilitate the service, telecom operators must establish and maintain databases linking subscribers’ names to their respective mobile numbers. The operator handling the incoming call will retrieve the relevant information from the originating operator and display it to the recipient.

Unlike third-party caller identification applications, which may rely on their own databases, CNAP will use subscriber information maintained by telecom operators.
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Will CNAP be available by default?

Yes. Under the DoT’s instructions, telecom operators must provide the service without requiring subscribers to make a separate request.

The initial rollout will cover wireless terrestrial networks operating on 4G and higher-generation technologies. 

The directive follows trials of the service on 4G and 5G networks and builds on recommendations issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in February 2024.

In October 2025, TRAI supported the proposal to make CNAP available by default, marking a shift from its earlier recommendation that subscribers should activate the facility only if they wanted to use it.

Can businesses display a different caller name?

The DoT’s instructions include a provision allowing eligible business and bulk connection users to display a preferred name instead of the name recorded in the telecom operator’s subscriber database.

However, the preferred name must meet specific verification requirements. It must either be a registered trademark belonging to the user or a trade name registered on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) portal.

Telecom operators will be responsible for verifying the proposed name and the supporting documents before approving the request.

For new connections, the preferred name and relevant registration documents must be recorded in the customer application form and subscriber database. Existing subscribers seeking to change their displayed name will have to apply through a mechanism established by their telecom operator.
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What about privacy and caller ID restrictions?

The DoT has prescribed safeguards to protect subscriber information while implementing CNAP.

Telecom operators must follow a security-by-design approach under which the system’s query-and-response mechanism does not retain the caller’s name identity after the incoming call has ended. They must also ensure that their databases, networks and connectivity infrastructure can handle name-identification requests efficiently without compromising service quality.

Subscribers who have activated the Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) facility to prevent their caller identification details from being displayed will be excluded from CNAP name presentation.

Telecom operators must also establish grievance redressal mechanisms to address complaints relating to the service within the prescribed timeframe.

Will CNAP stop spam calls and phone fraud?

The introduction of CNAP could help users make more informed decisions about answering calls by displaying the name associated with an unknown number’s telecom subscriber records.

However, the service should not be mistaken for a comprehensive spam-blocking or fraud-detection system. Displaying a registered name does not, by itself, establish that a call is genuine or that the person calling has a legitimate purpose.

CNAP is primarily a caller identification facility. Its effectiveness in helping users distinguish legitimate calls from unwanted or fraudulent ones will depend on how the information is used and the reliability of the underlying subscriber records.

With the November 1 implementation date approaching, the service is expected to bring caller name presentation directly into supported mobile networks, reducing the need to rely solely on separate applications to identify unknown numbers.