Trai aligns with DoT on CNAP, makes caller ID service default with opt-out

Trai's backing clears path for nationwide CNAP rollout; feature to display caller names by default on 4G, 5G phones with opt-out option for users

The Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service that displays the identity of the calling party on mobile phones, proposed to be implemented by telcos at the earliest, is set to be a default service but with an opt-out provision. The clarity has been provided by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in its responses to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) while agreeing with some of its key observations on implementing the service.

 

The DoT had sought modifications to Trai’s recommendations issued in February 2024, where it had proposed the service as an opt-in structure. In its latest response dated October 28, Trai acknowledged the DoT’s rationale and recorded its alignment, effectively clearing the way for CNAP’s implementation as a default feature across the sector.

 

Currently, only numbers are displayed for incoming calls, with no mandatory name display service in place. The feature was proposed by Trai earlier this year as a way to curb spam and fraudulent calls.

 

Telcos have been conducting inter-circle and intra-circle trials since then but had flagged concerns, including those around attributing CNAP when numbers belong to businesses or family mobile connections. The feature would initially apply only to 4G and 5G devices that are compatible.

 

Trai said in its response to DoT that 4G and 5G networks could roll out the service immediately, while older circuit-switched networks — primarily legacy 2G and 3G — would be brought under CNAP after further technical feasibility studies.

 

The regulator also accepted that telecom licence conditions will be amended so that all new devices sold in India after a notified cut-off date support CNAP. This will be implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).

 

Telcos are now expected to follow specific DoT guidelines for database management and subscriber name data, drawing from information provided in customer application forms (CAF) and government documentation.

 

Following the response from Trai, the DoT will issue final instructions and notifications for telcos to proceed with implementation and for device manufacturers to align their products ahead of the rollout deadline.

 

Trai also clarified that explicit identification of telemarketer and business lines would continue to be mandatory, and bulk connection holders could use verified trademarks or trade names as their calling name display, subject to government-approved verification procedures.