Govt mandates caller name display from November 1

Govt mandates caller name display from November 1

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Oct 15, 2026: Several telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi) and BSNL, have tested and partially rolled out the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) feature, which displays the names of callers verified through Know Your Customer (KYC) records directly on mobile phone screens.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has now directed all telecom operators to fully implement the caller identification feature across the country from November 1.

Currently, services such as Truecaller offer caller identification, including through premium subscriptions. However, the accuracy of the information can be unreliable, as it is largely based on details voluntarily submitted by app users and data obtained from other databases.

Under the DoT’s directive, all telecom operators will be required to provide caller name identification free of charge for calls made over cellular networks across India.

To implement the system, telecom operators must maintain dedicated databases linking subscribers’ names to their mobile numbers. The operators will also be able to obtain caller details from other service providers through an interoperable system, enabling the recipient’s phone to display the caller’s verified name.

Calls originating from overseas will carry an ’International’ tag, helping users identify incoming international calls.

However, the names of subscribers who have opted for the Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) facility will not be displayed.

For telemarketing calls, the caller’s name will be displayed as registered with the Trade Marks Registry or the Goods and Services Tax (GST) portal.

The feature is expected to help users make informed decisions about whether to answer or reject incoming calls, while improving transparency and reducing the risk of fraudulent calls.