Caller names to appear on mobile screens from November 1 under DoT directive

New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators to introduce caller-name display from November 1, on fourth-generation (4G) and newer wireless networks nationwide. Under the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) system, mobile users will see names alongside incoming phone numbers, with unsaved domestic callers identified through their telecom subscriber records.

The October 13 circular directs operators authorized to provide access services to introduce CNAP automatically across all service areas, without subscribers having to request it. Telecom operators, including Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, conducted trials on wireless networks before the directive was issued. The initial rollout covers 4G and newer networks, while extending the service to 2G, 3G and landlines will be considered separately.

How caller names will appear on screens

If a caller’s number is already stored in the recipient’s contacts, the saved name will take precedence. For an unsaved domestic number, the name held in the originating operator’s subscriber records will appear, while an unsaved international number will display “International Call”.

Each originating operator must maintain a database matching subscriber names to phone numbers, while the recipient’s operator retrieves the relevant name when a call comes in. The displayed name can help identify an unfamiliar number, but it reflects operator records rather than independently confirming who is speaking and cannot by itself prevent spoofing, spam or fraud.

Privacy safeguards and business caller identification

The DoT has directed operators to build privacy safeguards into the system so that the name retrieved during a call is not retained by the lookup mechanism after the call ends. Operators must also ensure adequate network and database capacity to deliver names promptly without compromising call quality.

Subscribers using Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) under existing rules will not have their calling names displayed. Businesses and bulk connection holders may be allowed to show a preferred name instead of the name in subscriber records, but operators must first verify that it matches a trademark registered in the subscriber’s name or a trade name recorded on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) portal.

The directive also requires operators to receive, record and resolve complaints about caller name presentation through a time bound grievance mechanism. It follows recommendations issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on February 23, 2024, and supersedes the department’s November 2025 instructions on related implementation issues.

The November 1 rollout applies to eligible wireless networks only. The circular does not set an implementation date for older mobile technologies or landline connections.