Indian telecom operators have started testing a new service that will help users avoid spam calls. Telecom carriers have commenced trials for caller ID services in specific areas in response to pressure from the government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The trails are currently taking place in Haryana and Mumbai.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has requested telecom companies to show the name of the caller to the recipient of the call. This is a service similar to Truecaller but will be provided directly by the telecom companies. The trials for this service will soon begin in other cities as well. Truecaller also provides a similar service using its database.
With the recent increase in spam and fraudulent calls, there is consideration for implementing Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) as a potential solution. According to a senior executive from a top telco who requested anonymity, trials are underway with a limited number of participants to assess the feasibility of CNAP. The service aims to display not only the number but also the name of the caller during incoming calls. The results of the trials will be shared with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to provide a practical and justifiable perspective on the proposed service.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had previously mentioned that after a reasonable deadline from the date of notification, the government should issue the necessary guidelines to ensure that Calling Number Authentication (CNAP) is available on all mobile phones sold in India.
In contrast, the telecom operators had opposed the change, citing technological challenges. They also raised concerns about increased call set-up time, latency, and the substantial investments needed to implement CNAP. They pointed out that currently, only 4G-enabled devices can support this feature, thus limiting its availability to a large portion of the market.
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