Telecom companies start trial of caller ID service to curb spam calls

In response to the government and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), telecom companies have begun the trial of a new caller ID service to protect the citizens of India from fraudulent communications. The caller ID service aims to help users identify incoming calls and let them make informed decisions about which calls to answer.

The CNAP (Calling Name Presentation) trial is currently limited to select locations in India, which includes Mumbai and Haryana. It is expected that the telcos will expand this trial to additional cities in the near future.

“Trials are beginning on limited numbers as we try and assess the feasibility of CNAP, where not only the number but even the name of the caller will be displayed during incoming calls. We will be sharing the results of the trials with DoT so that a practical and justifiable view of the proposed service can be taken,” a senior official from a leading telecom company said in a statement to ET.

However, the telecom operators have expressed their concern about implementing the CNAP. Reliance Jio, owned by Mukesh Ambani, has said that such a service should remain optional and also highlighted technical concerns over increased signaling burden and potential effects on latency and interconnectivity.

On the other hand, Airtel raised concerns about the techno-commercial issues related to the implementation of the CNAP service and also emphasized the need to comply with privacy regulations. While Vodafone Idea (VI) said CNAP should be an optional service rather than a compulsory requirement for telecom operators.