You will no longer have to guess who is calling when an unknown number rings your phone. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has instructed all telecom operators to roll out the Caller Name Presentation (CNAP) service starting November 1. This is India’s indigenous verified caller system, which will display the SIM card holder's name alongside the phone number on the screen. The primary goal of this initiative is to curb financial fraud stemming from fake and spam calls.

How Will the CNAP Service Work?

Currently, when a call arrives from an unsaved number, only the phone number is displayed on the screen.

Once CNAP is operational, the name under which the SIM card was registered with the telecom company will appear below the number.

If a contact is already saved in your phonebook, the saved name will continue to take priority.

For unknown numbers, the name registered in the telecom operator's database server will flash on the screen.

Which Users Will Benefit First?

The facility is initially being launched for users on 4G and newer generation (5G) networks.

A separate timeline will be announced for when this feature becomes available to 2G and 3G network users.

Identification of International Calls

When receiving an incoming call from a foreign number, the label 'International Call' will be displayed next to the number. Telecom operators have updated their database infrastructure accordingly to support this feature, following a series of successful trial runs.

Impact on Cyber Fraud

Fraudsters frequently impersonate bank officials, government employees, or company representatives to dupe victims. CNAP will make identifying the caller significantly easier. However, displaying a name alone may not guarantee the complete elimination of fraudulent calls.

Precautionary Tip: Always refrain from sharing personal or sensitive banking details over phone calls with unknown individuals.