The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has reportedly urged telecom operators to fast-track the implementation of the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service, which mandates displaying the caller’s name for incoming calls. The initiative aims to curb spam and scam calls by enabling recipients to identify callers, according to a report by ET, citing officials.
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DoT Urges Swift Implementation of CNAP
At a recent meeting with telecom operators, the DoT emphasised the need for immediate implementation. Telcos stated that trials are ongoing, particularly for inter-circle calls (calls between different regions), and assured deployment once the technology is stable. However, they highlighted that CNAP is not feasible for 2G networks due to technical limitations.
“While the telcos have successfully achieved proficiency in the CNAP within a circle, trials are ongoing for intra-circle wherein calls originate in one telecom circle but terminate in another,” said a telco executive present at last week’s meeting, the report added.
The move follows the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) 2022 recommendation to mandate CNAP and encourage handset manufacturers to enable the feature. While the service promises to reduce spam, industry experts warn of challenges, including privacy concerns and resistance from users unwilling to share their names.
Privacy Issues Surrounding CNAP Implementation
The report cited experts in the handset industry who stated that mandating the CNAP is not urgently necessary without considering ground realities, particularly given the availability of numerous mobile apps that already serve the purpose of displaying caller names, enabling users to make informed choices about accepting or rejecting calls.
Additionally, industry executives also highlighted potential challenges around customer privacy violation if the CNAP service is mandated nationally. Some mobile phone users might be averse to sharing their names, they noted, according to the report.
Also Read: Airtel Implements International Call Display Solution; Other TSPs Assessing Feasibility
Furthermore, the DoT has asked telcos to label non-+91 numbers as international to combat a rise in scam calls from overseas. As reported earlier, Airtel has already implemented this feature.
