Caller’s real name will be visible on mobile, new rule will be implemented from next month to prevent fraud

New Delhi. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has taken a big step to stop cases of fake calls and digital fraud from unknown numbers. The department has issued instructions to all telecom operators to mandatorily implement Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service across the country from November 1, 2026. As soon as this system is implemented, not only the phone number but also the official and verified name of the caller will be visible on the mobile screen during an incoming call. This will make it easier to identify fraudsters impersonating bank officers or others.

As per government guidelines, telecom service providers have already tested the CNAP service on wireless terrestrial networks operating on 4G and above generation technologies. This facility will be made available to eligible users automatically and customers will not need to make a separate request for it. The decision to implement CNAP on 2G, 3G and public switched telephone networks will be taken separately after further review.

Now only numbers are visible

Under the new system, the name of the caller will be part of the calling line identification (CLI). At present only the phone number is visible under this facility. Now there will be two information in CLI on the mobile phone of the call receiver. In the first, the caller’s phone number will be visible and in the second, his name will be visible.

If the name is saved then it will be visible only.

The name that appears on the recipient’s screen will depend on whether the caller’s number is saved in the phone’s contact list or not. If the number is already saved, only the saved name will continue to be visible. Whereas, if the number is not saved, then in case of domestic calls, the name of the caller will appear as per the information recorded in the subscriber database of the telecom operator from whose network the call has been made. International calls will be identified only as ‘International Call’.

Strict rules of data security and privacy

Under Rule 48(1) of the Telecommunications Rules, 2026, calling line identification has been made completely secure, so that it cannot be tampered with. The ‘Security-by-Design’ model has been mandated to protect consumer privacy. Under this, the data related to the name will be removed from the system as soon as the call ends and the operators will not be able to keep it safe.

Special discounts for businessmen and companies

In a relief to business entities and companies making large scale calls, they have been allowed to display their registered trademarks or trade names registered on the GST portal on the screen. This will help customers differentiate between official calls and suspected spam calls.