The Department of Telecommunications has ordered operators to roll out Calling Name Presentation on 4G and higher networks nationwide, showing verified subscriber names alongside numbers to help users spot callers, though it will not block spam.
Indian telecom operators must start offering Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) on 4G and higher-generation mobile networks from November 1, 2026, under a directive from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The service will show the caller’s name next to their number on the recipient’s screen, drawing on subscriber records held by the caller’s own operator.
In a circular dated October 13, the DoT said operators had already conducted trials of the service. It instructed all providers to introduce it “across all service areas with effect from November 1, 2026.”
The move is meant to help users identify incoming callers and counter online fraud. The department’s rules, however, do not amount to a blanket ban on spam calls, nor do they guarantee that fraudulent callers will be unmasked.
What users will see on their screens
The caller’s number will continue to appear, with the name shown in a separate field. Users will not need to install an app or apply to their operator, as the service will be provided automatically.
Which name appears depends on the call. If the recipient has saved the number, the saved contact name takes precedence. For unsaved domestic numbers, the name from the originating operator’s subscriber database is displayed. For unsaved international numbers, the screen will read “International Call.”
The initial rollout covers only terrestrial wireless networks using 4G and higher technologies. The circular said CNAP on 2G, 3G and fixed-line networks would be “considered separately, after examination of the matter,” so no date has been set for them. A name on the screen, officials’ framework makes clear, should not be treated as proof that a call is genuine.
How businesses can display preferred names
The DoT has made separate provisions for businesses and bulk subscribers who want a preferred name to be shown. Eligible users may be allowed to display a verified name instead of the one in their subscriber record.
A preferred name can be a trademark registered in the user’s name, as per the Trade Marks Registry, or a trade name registered on the GST portal. The originating operator must verify it before approval.
For new connections, operators must record the preferred name in the customer application form and subscriber data record, along with verified supporting documents. For existing connections, operators must create a mechanism for subscribers to apply. As the circular put it, such a name may be updated after “examination and proper verification of such application.”
These checks are intended to ensure that business names displayed through CNAP are backed by verified registration records.
