TRAI Directs Mobile Operators To Display Callers' Names With Numbers

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has suggested a new feature called Calling Name Presentation (CNAP), which would let callers show their names to the person they're calling. This could become an optional service for phone users.

Trai's idea is that this service should be available on all telecommunication networks in India and on devices sold in the country.

Before rolling out CNAP nationwide, Trai recommends that each network provider, such as Airtel or Jio, tries it out in one area to see how well it works with their customers. The name that appears would be the one the person used when they got their phone number. If their name has changed, Trai suggests that telecom companies ask for government-issued documents to update it.

For businesses and bulk users, there's an option to display a "preferred name," which should be a name registered with the government, like a trademark name or a trade name.

Trai also thinks that telemarketers and others involved in transactions should always show their names to the person they're calling.

This suggestion from Trai came after a consultation process that started in November 2022 and involved a virtual meeting in March 2023. Now, it's up to the Department of Telecommunications to decide whether to make these suggestions official rules for telecom companies.

One company that might be affected by this is Truecaller, which helps people identify spam callers. Truecaller says it's okay with the idea of CNAP, but it doesn't think it will be as good as what it already offers.

During the consultation, big telecom companies like Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea said they had concerns about CNAP. They worried it might slow down call setup, cause delays, and raise privacy issues. Plus, they pointed out that only 4G phones can use CNAP right now, leaving out many people who use older phones.