Patna: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has approved the nationwide introduction of the Caller Name Presentation (CNAP) system, a verified caller ID feature that will display the name of the person or business making the call. The rollout is expected to be completed by March 31, 2026, bringing a significant upgrade to how Indians identify incoming calls.
Under the new system, telecom operators including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) will be required to implement CNAP across their networks. The feature is currently being tested in select circles, with Vi conducting pilot runs in Haryana and Jio expected to begin trials soon.
Unlike the existing system, which only shows the caller’s number, CNAP will display the caller’s verified name based on Know Your Customer (KYC) records used to purchase the SIM card. Initially, the feature will be available on 4G and 5G devices, while 2G users will not have access to it.
TRAI had initially targeted the rollout for late 2025 but extended the deadline by three months to ensure comprehensive testing and infrastructure readiness. Operators have already been instructed to enable the feature in at least one telecom circle as part of the phased launch.
Officials said TRAI is also considering the creation of a centralised caller ID database, with local copies maintained by individual service providers. This could allow greater data sharing between operators and make it easier to identify spam or fraudulent calls.
The CNAP system aims to reduce dependence on third-party apps like Truecaller, which rely on user-generated data, and provide a more secure, government-regulated identification mechanism. Experts believe it will also play a key role in tackling phone-based scams and improving user trust.
