New Delhi: The days of answering a call without knowing who is on the other end could soon become less frequent. From November 1, 2026, telecom operators will be required to introduce Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) services across all service areas, allowing subscribers to see the caller’s name on their phone screen when receiving a call.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), through a directive to telecom service providers (TSPs), has mandated the rollout of the service across wireless terrestrial networks using 4G and higher-generation technologies. The move follows trials conducted by telecom operators to introduce caller name display on mobile networks.
Under the directive, the name displayed will be based on the caller’s identity as recorded in the subscriber data maintained by the originating telecom service provider. The circular defines calling name identity as the name of the calling user recorded in the subscriber data record of the originating provider and included in the calling line identification.
The directive also defines calling line identification as the telecommunications identifier assigned to a caller by an authorised entity or licensee providing telecom services, the caller’s name as recorded in subscriber data, or another form of identification specified by the Central Government from time to time.
All telecom service providers authorised or licensed to provide access services have been instructed to introduce CNAP across their networks in every service area with effect from November 1, 2026.
The service is expected to help subscribers identify callers before answering calls. However, the name displayed will depend on the subscriber information available with the originating telecom operator.
The DoT has clarified that the rollout will initially cover networks using 4G and higher-generation technologies. The introduction of CNAP on wireless networks based on 2G and 3G technologies, as well as public switched telephone networks, will be examined separately after further consideration.
With the November 1 deadline approaching, telecom operators will need to prepare their networks for the rollout and address user grievances related to the service.
BI Bureau
