MAHARASHTRA — It appears the future of caller identification has officially arrived for telecom subscribers in Maharashtra. Reliance Jio users in the region have started reporting a new feature on their smartphones: the ability to see the verified name of incoming callers without having any third-party apps installed.
This development marks the live pilot phase of the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service, a massive initiative led by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
What Users Are Seeing
Reports surfacing on social media platforms, including community discussions on Reddit and Twitter, confirm that Jio subscribers in Maharashtra (and previously Haryana) are now seeing the "KYC Name" of callers displayed on their dialer screens.
Unlike apps like Truecaller, which display names crowdsourced from user phonebooks (often leading to humorous or inaccurate tags like "Plumber Bhaiya"), the name displayed by CNAP is the official legal name provided by the SIM owner in their Government ID proofs (Aadhaar, Passport, etc.).
Official Directives: "Default On" Strategy
While earlier proposals suggested this feature might be optional (opt-in), the DoT has directed telecom operators to implement this as a "Default On" feature. This means:
You do not need to activate anything; it will start working automatically.
The government aims for a full pan-India rollout by March 31, 2026.
Pilots are currently active in select circles, with Maharashtra and Haryana being the primary test beds for operators like Jio and Vodafone Idea.
Privacy Concerns: Can You Hide Your Name?
The biggest question surrounding CNAP is privacy. Not every user wants their full legal name flashing on the screen of every person they call, especially when reaching out to delivery agents or cab drivers.
To address this, TRAI has recommended a Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) mechanism.
Opt-Out Available: While the service is on by default, users will eventually have the option to request their operator to hide their name.
Technical Constraints: Currently, the pilot is largely focused on 4G and 5G networks. Users on older 2G/3G networks (often used by feature phones) may not see these names immediately due to bandwidth limitations.
Truecaller vs. TRAI CNAP: The Showdown
Will this kill third-party apps? Not immediately, but it changes the game.
Feature | TRAI CNAP (Government) | Third-Party Apps (e.g., Truecaller) |
Data Source | 100% Verified KYC Data | Crowdsourced (User uploads) |
Accuracy | High (Legal Name) | Variable (Can be fake) |
Privacy | Strict Telecom Standards | Data often shared/monetized |
Spam Protection | Identity only (Who is calling) | Intent analysis (Spam/Scam flagging) |
What's Next?
If you are in Maharashtra and using Jio, you are part of the first wave of users testing this technology. For the rest of India, the DoT has instructed all operators to prepare their databases and networks for the 2026 national deadline.
you can read full document regrading this here
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Have you seen the new caller ID on your phone? Let us know in the comments below.
