The CNAP caller name display is meant to start on 1 November 2026, and it changes what you see when an unknown number rings. Instead of a bare number, your phone can now show the name registered with the caller’s telecom operator. The rule comes from a Department of Telecommunications circular dated 13 October 2026.
Quick answer
- Start date: 1 November 2026, as directed by the DoT circular.
- Where: 4G and newer wireless networks first. 2G, 3G and landlines are left for later.
- Which name: your saved contact name if you have one, otherwise the registered name of the caller.
- Overseas calls: unsaved international numbers show the label International Call.
- Cost and sign-up: operators must provide it without a separate request from you.
How CNAP caller name display works
CNAP stands for Calling Name Presentation. The caller’s number still appears first, as it does today. Then your phone shows a name beneath it.
Also, the order matters. Then if the number is already saved in your contacts, your own saved name wins. So if it is not saved, the name comes from the subscriber records of the caller’s operator. According to Outlook Money’s explainer, the receiving operator fetches that name from a database kept by the originating operator.
What stays private
Still, the circular asks operators not to keep the calling name after the call ends. So the name is shown for the call and not stored by the network. That is a useful limit, but it is also worth knowing what the rule does not say.
Also, callers who have switched on Calling Line Identification Restriction, or CLIR, will not have their name displayed. Then operators must offer that facility under existing guidelines. However, the reports we checked describe no way for a call recipient to switch name display off.
Business numbers get a preferred name
Companies and bulk connection users can pick a “preferred name” to show instead of the subscriber name. So it must be a registered trademark or a trade name on the GST portal. New applications need supporting documents, so a firm cannot simply choose any label.
For you, this could make delivery, bank and service calls easier to recognise. Still, a name on screen is only a label. Scammers can also lean on a trusted-looking name, so do not share an OTP or PIN because a call looks official.
What to do now
First, make sure your phone is on a 4G or 5G network, because that is where the service begins. Then watch the next few unknown calls to see what appears. If nothing shows up, ask your operator, because the reports we checked do not describe a phased schedule or handset limits.
Also keep using the tools you already have. Still, you can check which mobile connections are registered in your name through the government’s Sanchar Saathi portal. Also, if a connection is not yours, report it.
Every operator must also set up a way to record CNAP complaints and resolve them within a fixed time. So if your own name is wrong on someone’s screen, raise it with your operator’s grievance channel.
FAQ
What is CNAP in India?
CNAP is Calling Name Presentation, a service that shows the registered name of a caller on your screen. Then the Department of Telecommunications directed operators to start it on 1 November 2026.
Can I turn off caller name display?
So the reports we checked do not describe a switch for the person receiving the call. Still, callers can use CLIR to hide their own identity. If your own contacts list has the number, your saved name shows instead.
Does CNAP work on 2G, 3G or landlines?
Not yet. The first phase covers 4G and newer networks. Also, the government has said 2G, 3G and landline networks will be examined separately.