India is gearing up to tackle online and phone frauds through a comprehensive strategy that involves collaboration between the government and private telecom companies.

According to a recent report by The Economic Times, senior government officials have revealed that the Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service will be up and running within 100 days of the inauguration of the new government post Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Additionally, plans are underway to establish a National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) to bolster these efforts.

Here’s a look at what is CNAP and how it will help stop mobile frauds.

What is CNAP?

CNAP, or Caller Name Presentation, is a service akin to Truecaller that displays the caller’s name. In 2022, TRAI introduced a consultation paper suggesting ways to implement this feature. After a year of discussions with telecom networks and analyzing stakeholder feedback, TRAI has finalized guidelines for providers like Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone-Idea.

TRAI recommends using the name provided in a subscriber’s Customer Application Form (CAF) for CNAP. All providers should offer this feature upon request, meaning the name used during SIM card purchase will be visible to called parties.

For businesses with bulk connections, a ‘preferred name’ option will be available, such as their registered trademark name or unique government-registered names.

Once accepted, the Government of India will instruct network operators to enable CNAP on all devices sold in the country after a specified date, yet to be decided.

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How does CNAP work?

As per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) guidelines, Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea will establish databases with customer names and phone numbers.

When a call comes in, the network provider will consult these databases to display the caller’s name to the recipient. TRAI suggests a trial period before the nationwide implementation of CNAP.

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Privacy concerns

When TRAI proposed CNAP in 2023, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea, expressed privacy worries. They cautioned that CNAP could lead to nationwide subscriber data gathering by device makers and OS providers, similar to the Aadhaar database.

Reliance Jio voiced concerns about potential social and criminal issues from displaying caller names. They suggested customers should opt-in to CNAP. Bharti Airtel also emphasized user privacy, proposing CNAP’s initial use for telemarketers. Vodafone Idea mentioned CNAP’s benefits against spam calls but noted privacy conflicts for callers not wanting their names displayed.

TRAI suggests using the Calling Line Identification Restriction (CLIR) facility introduced in 2015 if subscribers wish to keep their names private during calls.

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