TRAI proposes CNAP for authenticating caller IDs to tackle spam calls, know details here

In today's time, many spam callers can be quite bothersome, often disrupting your day since you are unsure of who is calling. Sometimes, even when you answer, it turns out to be a spam call. 

To address this issue, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, TRAI, has proposed a solution- Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) to be introduced by telecom operators.

What Exactly Is CNAP?

CNAP, or Caller Name Presentation, is a feature similar to Truecaller, but provided by telecom operators. It lets you see the name of the person calling you.

Back in 2022, TRAI began discussing how to implement CNAP through a consultation paper. After a year of discussions with telecom networks and gathering feedback, TRAI has now finalised recommendations for providers like Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone-Idea, according to the Indian Express.

TRAI suggests that telecom operators should use the name given by subscribers on their Customer Application Form (CAF) for CNAP. And upon request, all service providers should offer this feature to their subscribers.

This means that the name you provide when you buy a SIM card will be displayed to the person you are calling.

For businesses with multiple connections, they can choose to display a 'preferred name' instead of the one on the CAF. This preferred name could be their registered trademark or another unique name registered with the government.

Once these recommendations are accepted, the Government of India will instruct network operators to make CNAP available on all devices sold in the country after a certain date, which is yet to be decided.

How Does CNAP Differ From Services Like Truecaller?

Services like Truecaller rely on information shared by users, which may not always be accurate. Anyone can suggest a name for a number, and Truecaller may use that name.

On the other hand, the CNAP database will rely on information provided in the Customer Application Form (CAF), which is verified with government-recognized identity proofs.

While the KYC process is not perfect, information from the CNAP database might be more reliable compared to crowd-sourced services like Truecaller.