TRAI’s Plan To Make Name Display Mandatory For Incoming Calls Hits Tech Obstacles

• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) plan for compulsory name display on incoming calls is facing delays due to technical hurdles.
• Telecom companies were asked to ensure a calling name presentation (CNAP) service on mobile phones to combat spam and scam calls, but this initiative is nearly unachievable nationwide due to a large population still using 2G/3G networks.
• Executives confirmed that the service will not be available to 270-300 million 2G users, and only smartphones released after 2021 are likely to support the CNAP feature.
• TRAI issued directives in November 2023 for commercial entities to seek user consent before sending marketing messages, but trials show CNAP will only work on IP-based networks, not older circuit-switched networks.
• The TRAI also floated a consultation paper on “Revision of National Numbering” earlier this year, which quickly ran into controversies over potential charges on mobile numbers.

Source: Inc42