Jio and major telcos roll out CNAP feature to combat fraud
Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and BSNL have initiated trial phases for the CNAP service across several telecom circles nationwide.
Reliance Jio has launched a new service called Caller Name Presentation (CNAP) in several areas of India. This feature displays the name of the person who is calling you, which makes it easier to identify unknown numbers. As a result, it can help you avoid scam calls, making phone calls safer and more secure.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has decided that other major telecom companies, such as Airtel, BSNL, and Vodafone-Idea (Vi), must also offer the CNAP service. This means that customers of these companies will soon have access to similar features.
Current rollout status by circle
Telecom providers are currently in various stages of testing or full implementation. Below is the current availability according to recent reports:
- Reliance Jio: Now live in West Bengal, Kerala, Bihar, UP East, Rajasthan, Punjab, Assam, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
- Airtel: Service has been launched in West Bengal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
- Vodafone-Idea (Vi): Currently live in Maharashtra, with a partial rollout underway in Tamil Nadu.
- BSNL: The service is currently being tested on a trial basis in West Bengal.
What is CNAP?
CNAP, which stands for Caller Name Presentation, is a service that shows the name of the person calling you on your phone screen. This is different from apps like Truecaller because CNAP uses the official name that a caller registered with their phone company. This information is based on verified documents, making it more trustworthy and harder to manipulate than other apps.
A Warning on "Silent Calls"
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has warned people about something called Silent Calls. This happens when you pick up a phone call but don't hear anyone speaking on the other end.
According to the DoT, these are not technical glitches. Instead, they are a tactic used by scammers to:
- Verify Active Lines: Confirm that your phone number is currently in use.
- Target for Phishing: Once a number is confirmed as "active," it is added to lists for more sophisticated hacking or phishing attempts.
The DoT advises users to block these numbers immediately and report them via the Sanchar Saathi portal to help protect the wider community.
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