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Incoming calls to display real caller names, as government mandates new rules for telcos

The DoT has instructed telecom operators Jio, Airtel, BSNL, and Vi to implement CNAP as soon as possible to reduce the number of fake calls received by users. Telecom companies have been testing CNAP since last year.

Written By: Om Gupta New Delhi Published : Jan 16, 2025 15:54 IST, Updated : Jan 16, 2025 15:54 IST
Real caller names
Image Source : FILE Real caller names

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom companies such as Airtel, BSNL, Jio, and Vodafone Idea to promptly implement the Caller ID Name Presentation (CNAP) service. These companies have been testing this feature since last year, which will allow users to easily identify incoming callers. The DoT is keen to roll this out soon so that people can avoid falling victim to fraudulent calls.

Quick implementation ahead

According to a report from ET Telecom, during a meeting with telecom operators last week, the Department of Telecommunications emphasized that this technology is currently undergoing trials. It's important to note that CNAP will primarily benefit smartphone users, while those with 2G feature phones will not have access to this service. Once CNAP is implemented, the name associated with the caller's SIM card will be displayed on the recipient's phone. This means that scammers will find it harder to place fake calls to unsuspecting users.

Directive from the PMO

Recently, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has taken steps to protect mobile users nationwide by instructing the DoT to refrain from issuing new SIM cards without Aadhaar biometric verification. This move aims to prevent the distribution of SIMs through fake documents, ultimately reducing instances of fraud.

Understanding CNAP

CNAP is a supplementary service designed to show the caller's name on a user's phone screen. Currently, third-party apps like Truecaller and Bharat Caller ID & Anti Spam offer a similar service called Calling Party Name Identification (CPNI), which relies on crowd-sourced data that isn't always reliable. 

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) based its recommendations for CNAP on the names recorded in users' KYC documents, ensuring that callers can be accurately identified. With this implementation, users will see the name of the caller as per the KYC registration data provided when they purchased their SIM cards. This way, incoming calls become clearer, helping to distinguish genuine calls from potential fraud.

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