Outlook Business Desk
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has instructed telecom operators to begin pilot runs of the Calling Name Presentation feature (CNAP), which will display the verified name of incoming callers to Indian mobile users screen.
DoT expects the nationwide implementation of the CNAP feature by March 31, 2026, marking a major step towards verified caller identification across all telecom networks in India.
Vodafone Idea has already started testing the CNAP feature in Haryana. The pilot run will help operators fine-tune the system before the feature’s wider rollout.
Reliance Jio will also soon begin its CNAP pilot in Haryana, covering calls received from anywhere in India, as part of the telecom department’s push for early implementation.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India agrees with DoT that CNAP should be enabled by default, ensuring caller names reflect the subscriber’s verified Know Your Customer details.
Unlike third-party apps such as Truecaller, CNAP will provide caller information authenticated by telecom operators, reducing the chances of incorrect or misleading identification for users.
TRAI believes CNAP will reduce spam and fraudulent calls, helping tackle cybercrimes such as financial scams and digital arrest cases by verifying caller identities in real time.
Initially, CNAP will be available only on 4G and 5G networks. Smartphone makers will receive a timeline to support this feature, excluding 2G users now for.
TRAI, however initially recommended that the CNAP feature be activated only on user request, but the Telecom Department insisted it should be enabled by default, allowing subscribers the option to disable it if preferred, as per reports.