Caller Name Display From November 1: How CNAP Works on Jio, Airtel and Vi, and What It Means for Spam Calls
From November 1, telecom operators must show the caller’s registered name on incoming calls under CNAP. How it works, what changes and what doesn’t.
Photo: Billie Grace Ward from New York, USA / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 1st November 2026: If an unknown number calls you this week, your phone may now show the caller’s name even if the number is not saved. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has directed telecom operators to switch on Calling Name Presentation, or CNAP, by default for users on 4G and 5G networks from 1 November 2026.
What is CNAP?
CNAP is a network-based caller ID service. When someone calls you, the operator looks up the caller’s registered subscriber details in real time and displays the name on your screen. Unlike third-party caller ID apps, it does not depend on names other users have saved in their contacts.
Which operators must provide it
The mandate covers all licensed telecom service providers, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi). Operators have had to integrate the system across networks, which involves upgrades on their side.
Which networks and phones
The rollout focuses on 4G and 5G networks. DoT says 2G and 3G users will be covered separately, and landlines are also being considered separately. So if you use a basic feature phone on 2G, you may not see names yet. International calls will show “International Call” instead of a name.
Where the name comes from
The name shown is drawn from the subscriber records registered with the operator. Each operator must keep a database linking subscriber names to numbers, and the name shown is the one registered with the operator. Businesses that make bulk calls can show a brand name instead, but only a trademark registered with the Trade Marks Registry or a trade name registered on the GST portal, and only after the operator verifies it.
On privacy, DoT’s rules say operators must not keep the caller’s name retrieved for a call once the call ends.
Callers who opt for Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) through their operator will not have their name shown.
What is still not clear: how quickly each operator will complete the rollout across all circles, and whether phones need a software update to display CNAP names. If you don’t see names this week, check with your operator’s customer care.
Will it stop spam calls?
The aim is to reduce spam and fraud by making it harder for scammers to hide behind random numbers. It will not block calls on its own, so stay alert. A real name on screen does not guarantee a genuine caller, as fraudsters sometimes use SIMs registered in other people’s names.
Simple habits still help: never share OTPs, don’t install apps on a caller’s instructions, and verify bank or courier calls by calling the official number yourself. Our guide to protecting your phone and UPI apps from AI-powered scams has more tips.
For other changes this month, see rules changing from November 1, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is CNAP in mobile phones?
CNAP (Calling Name Presentation) is a network-based service that shows the caller’s registered name on your screen when you get a call.
From when is caller name display mandatory in India?
DoT set 1 November 2026 as the deadline for telecom operators to activate CNAP.
Will CNAP work on 2G phones?
The rollout focuses on 4G and 5G. DoT says 2G and 3G users, and landlines, will be covered separately.
Can I hide my name from CNAP?
Users who have opted for Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) do not have their name shown, under DoT’s rules.
