India’s deadline for Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) is 1 November 2026. The Department of Telecommunications has directed mobile operators, including Jio, Airtel and Vi, to show a caller’s registered name alongside the number on supported 4G and newer calls. The order requires the feature by default across service areas, but it does not tell us that every network and handset is showing names already.
When CNAP appears, the displayed name comes from the caller’s operator records, not a name guessed from other users’ address books. That could help with unfamiliar calls, though a registered name alone cannot tell you whether a call is safe.
What changes from 1 November
DoT Circular no. 01/Licensing Policy/2026, dated 13 October 2026, instructs every operator that holds an access service licence to introduce CNAP on its networks from 1.11.2026. The key points:
- It covers 4G and newer networks. Calls carried over 2G, 3G and landline (PSTN) networks are excluded for now; DoT says those will be considered separately.
- It’s on by default. The circular says operators must provide CNAP to every user without any separate request.
- The instruction covers all service areas. That is the scope of the mandate, not proof that rollout is complete everywhere on day one.
- Your saved contacts still win. If you’ve saved a number, your phone keeps showing the name you gave it.
The rule rests on rule 48 of the Telecommunications (Authorisation for Provision of Principal Telecommunication Services) Rules, 2026, which requires calling line identification to be presented in a way that is “secured from tampering”, and on the calling line identification condition in the Unified Licence.
What you’ll see on an incoming call
Under CNAP, the caller details on your screen have two fields. The first is the phone number, as today. The second is a name, picked in a fixed order of priority set by DoT.
| Who is calling | Name shown on your phone | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| A number saved in your contacts | The name you saved | Your own phone’s contact list |
| An unsaved Indian number | The caller’s name as recorded by their operator | The subscriber record from the caller’s KYC and customer application form |
| A business or bulk connection that registered a preferred name | Its verified brand or trade name | A registered trade mark or a trade name on the GST portal, checked by the operator |
| An unsaved international number | “International Call” | Fixed text set by DoT |
| A caller who has opted for CLIR (calling line identification restriction) | No name | DoT says names of CLIR users are not presented |
| A call over 2G, 3G or a landline | Number only, as before | Not covered by the 1 November mandate |
The “International Call” label is worth noticing. If a call that claims to be from your bank, a courier company or the police shows that label instead of a name, treat it as a red flag and hang up.
Where the name comes from
The caller’s operator (the “originating” operator) has to build and maintain a database that maps each phone number to the subscriber’s name. When a call comes in, your operator (the “terminating” operator) looks up the name from that database and passes it to your phone. If the caller has ported their number, the lookup first checks which operator now holds it.
DoT has also set two technical guardrails. Operators must follow a “security-by-design” approach in which the lookup itself ensures the name is not retained once the call ends, and the databases and network links must be sized so name queries don’t slow calls down.
Because the name comes from the subscriber record, it is the legal name on the SIM, not whatever the caller would like to be called. If a family member’s SIM is registered in a parent’s name, for example, unsaved recipients will see the parent’s name.
How to check and fix the name others see for you
DoT’s earlier instructions of 21 November 2025, on handling KYC issues during the CNAP rollout, list the problems operators are expected to resolve: names that are too long to display, a legal change of name, data-entry errors in the original records, and connections whose ownership has been transferred. The 13 October circular also requires every operator to record and resolve CNAP complaints through its grievance system within a fixed time.
- Check when it appears. Once CNAP reaches your connection, call someone who has not saved your number and ask what name they see. If no name appears yet, that alone does not prove the subscriber record is wrong.
- Find out whose name the SIM is in. If the name is someone else’s, the connection is registered to them. The fix is usually an ownership transfer at your operator’s store, with your own ID.
- Report spelling errors or a changed name. Contact your operator’s customer care or complaint line. Airtel’s grievance charter, for example, lists 198 (toll free from an Airtel mobile) for complaints and 121 for general queries. Keep a government ID that shows your correct name ready, since TRAI recommended that legal name changes be backed by such documents.
- Escalate if needed. Ask for a complaint number when you call, and use your operator’s appellate or nodal officer route if the name isn’t corrected.
If you’d rather your name isn’t shown at all, CLIR (the service that hides your number from people you call) also hides your CNAP name, according to the circular. Ask your operator whether CLIR is available on your plan before you rely on it.
Business numbers can show a verified brand name
Companies that hold business or bulk connections may be offered the option of showing a “preferred name” instead of the legal name of the account holder. DoT allows only two kinds of preferred name: a trade mark registered in the company’s name with the Trade Marks Registry, or a trade name registered on the GST portal. The operator must verify it against original documents first.
For new connections, the preferred name goes into the customer application form along with proof. For existing connections, operators have to set up a way to apply. If you run a shop, clinic or startup that calls customers from a company SIM, it’s worth asking your operator’s business team about this, because a recognisable name is more likely to be answered than an unfamiliar number or a director’s personal name.
CNAP vs Truecaller and other caller ID apps
In its recommendations, TRAI pointed out that third-party caller ID apps rely on crowd-sourced data, names pulled from users’ contact lists, which may not be reliable. CNAP takes the name from KYC-verified operator records instead. The trade-offs look like this:
| CNAP | Caller ID apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Source of the name | Caller’s operator, from KYC records | Crowd-sourced contact lists and user reports |
| Needs an app or sign-up | No, built into the network | Yes |
| Shares your contacts | No | Depends on the app and your settings |
| Spam labels and reports | No, it shows a name only | Usually yes |
| Coverage | Mandated for 4G and newer networks; actual availability depends on rollout and handset support | Depends on the app and phone |
CNAP shows the name tied to a number in an operator’s records. It does not certify that the caller is trustworthy. Someone using a SIM registered in another person’s name can still appear under that name, so keep treating unexpected requests for money or personal details with care.
How CNAP got here, and what differs from TRAI’s plan
DoT first asked TRAI to look at caller name display in March 2022. TRAI published its recommendations on 23 February 2024, and after DoT sent some of them back for reconsideration in September 2025, TRAI responded in October 2025. The final rules differ from TRAI’s original proposal in one notable way: TRAI suggested CNAP be provided on request, while DoT has made it the default for everyone.
TRAI also recommended that phones sold in India support CNAP after a cut-off date, and that 140-series telemarketing numbers always show the sender’s name. The 13 October circular does not cover handsets or telemarketing numbers, so whether your phone displays the name smoothly may depend on your handset and operator for now.
My take
CNAP could make an unfamiliar call easier to judge, but the name is only as accurate as the operator’s subscriber record. A SIM registered to a relative or under an outdated spelling can show the wrong person. Once the feature reaches your connection, check your own displayed name and ask your operator to correct a genuine record error. Keep your spam protection on either way.
FAQ
Do I need to turn on CNAP?
No. DoT requires operators to provide it without any separate request from users, so it should work automatically on 4G and 5G calls.
Is CNAP free?
The circular does not mention any charge for users, and it is provided by default as part of the calling line identification.
Will CNAP replace the names I’ve saved?
No. The name in your own contact list takes priority. CNAP names only appear for numbers you haven’t saved.
Does CNAP work on landlines or 2G and 3G calls?
Not yet. The 1 November mandate covers 4G and higher networks. DoT will consider 2G, 3G and landline networks separately.
Can I hide my name?
The circular says the names of users who have taken the CLIR facility are not presented. Check with your operator about CLIR availability.
Does switching operators or moving to an eSIM change my name?
Your CNAP name comes from your current operator’s subscriber record, so it follows whatever name is on that connection. If you move your Jio, Airtel or Vi number to an eSIM, the KYC owner stays the same.
Does my operator keep a record of who called me with which name?
DoT requires the name lookup to be built so the calling name is not retained after the call ends.
- SourcePIB
- SourceAirtel Business
