Delhi, India, October 15 (HBTV): All incoming calls from unsaved numbers on an Indian mobile network will, in most cases, arrive with a name as well as a number from November 1.
The Department of Telecommunications has ordered all access service providers to introduce Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) across every service area on that date, according to a circular dated 13 October.
The service will be switched on without any request from the user. Under the 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.
The rollout covers wireless networks built on 4G and higher technologies, where operators have run trials. The department said 2G, 3G and landline networks will be “considered separately, after examination of the matter.”
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.
Businesses get some latitude. 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.
The circular draws on a February 2024 recommendation from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and on separate department instructions from November 2025 on handling KYC issues in the rollout.
(Indian Express)