Caller’s Registered Name to Appear Before Calls — Government to Roll Out CNAP Nationwide
The government is preparing to display the real, registered name of the caller on your mobile screen before a call is answered, following a successful trial of Caller Name Presentation (CNAP) in Haryana.
The service will be introduced in phases, beginning in major metropolitan areas such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata, and then extended to other cities, with officials estimating nationwide availability within the next 3–4 months.
Under CNAP, the telecom operator will fetch the caller’s name and SIM registration details from its subscriber database and display that name on the recipient’s phone when the call arrives.
Functionally, it will behave like third-party caller-ID apps, but with one important difference: the data’s authenticity will be government-assured.
Why this matters — key benefits
Better call transparency and trust: Unknown numbers will no longer appear as just digits. Seeing the registered name helps users quickly judge whether to pick up or ignore a call.
Reduction in fraud and impersonation: Displaying the official registered name makes common social-engineering and impersonation scams harder to carry out.
Consumer protection from ads and charges: Unlike many private caller-ID apps that insert ads or charge for premium features, the government-run CNAP service will be free and ad-free, removing hidden costs for users.
Curbing private monopoly: The move reduces dependence on private apps for caller identification, opening up competition and limiting single-vendor dominance in this space.
Improved accuracy and reliability: Since the information will come from telcos’ official subscriber records, accuracy should be higher than many crowd-sourced or app-based databases.
Helps vulnerable users: Elderly people and those less tech-savvy benefit from a clearer caller identity, reducing confusion and risk.
Support for law enforcement and traceability: Clearer caller identification can aid investigations into nuisance calls, fraud, and other telecom crimes, while still operating within privacy and regulatory norms.
Seamless user experience: The feature is implemented at the network/operator level, so users won’t need to install extra apps or pay for subscriptions to see caller names.
The rollout follows a TRAI recommendation and a successful pilot with BSNL in Haryana, where users reported the feature as useful.
With phased deployment across major cities first, the government aims to give millions of subscribers a safer, ad-free, and more reliable caller-ID experience soon.
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