New Delhi, October 29: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced a landmark initiative aimed at reshaping how mobile users in India identify incoming calls. The new feature, called Calling Name Presentation (CNAP), will ensure that verified caller names are displayed on users’ phones when receiving calls. This regulatory step intends to enhance transparency, improve user safety, and reduce dependency on third-party caller identification apps like Truecaller.

By embedding the CNAP feature directly into telecom networks, TRAI aims to strengthen security and enhance user privacy. This integration eliminates reliance on third-party apps, ensuring that caller identification is handled through verified telecom databases, offering users safer and more transparent communication. TRAI Releases Recommendations for Digital Radio Broadcast Policy for Private Broadcasters.

What Is CNAP Feature?

CNAP will enable mobile subscribers to view the caller’s registered name, sourced from the information provided during SIM card registration. Unlike third-party apps that rely on crowdsourced or unverified data, CNAP will use authentic subscriber records maintained by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs). This allows recipients to make informed decisions before answering calls, reducing exposure to fraudulent or spam calls. The feature will be enabled by default across all networks, with users retaining the right to opt out by contacting their telecom operators. It will not be offered as a standalone service but as an integral part of existing telecom operations. TRAI Issues New Draft to Rejig Broadcasting and Cable Distribution Industry, Invites Public Comments by October 6 on Proposed Framework.

How Will It Work?

Technically, CNAP will rely on a CNAM database maintained by TSPs, mapping every phone number to its corresponding subscriber name. When an incoming call reaches the recipient’s network, the terminating network will query this database before the call rings, fetching the verified name of the caller. This ensures that the displayed identity originates from verified telecom records rather than third-party sources.

Implementation and Challenges

Initial trials of CNAP were conducted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in select cities. While the feature was initially designed for both circuit-switched and packet-switched networks, software limitations restricted testing to packet-switched environments such as 4G and 5G. Despite technical hurdles, TRAI views CNAP as a critical advancement toward safer, more transparent communication.

By providing verified caller identification at the network level, CNAP represents a significant stride toward curbing unsolicited, fraudulent, and spam calls, reinforcing user trust and integrity in India’s digital communication ecosystem.

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