The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has requested telecom operators to quickly implement the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service. Under this service, it will be mandatory to display the name of the caller on incoming calls. According to a report, the aim of this initiative is to curb spam and fraudulent calls and to ensure that call receivers know the identity of the caller.
In the recent meeting with telecom operators, DoT had stressed on immediate implementation of CNAP service. Telecom companies had informed that this service is being tested, especially for inter-circle calls (calls between different areas). He assured that it will be implemented as soon as the technology becomes stable. However, telecom companies also said that it is not possible to implement CNAP service on 2G networks due to technical limitations. An official said, “Telecom operators have perfected CNAP within the circle (intra-circle), but trials are still going on for calls outside the circle (inter-circle).”
The move comes after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) made CNAP mandatory in 2022 and advised handset manufacturers to enable the feature. The service is expected to reduce spam calls, but experts warn of challenges such as privacy issues and user dissatisfaction. According to the report, handset industry experts believe that making CNAP mandatory is not immediately necessary, especially when there are already many mobile applications available that are capable of displaying the caller’s name.
These apps provide users with an informed choice to accept or reject the call. Telecom industry officials stressed that making CNAP service mandatory at a national level could violate customer privacy. They noted that some users may not be willing to share their names.
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