Callers' registered names to show on screen for unknown numbers from November 1, says telecom department

From November 1, 2026, whenever a call comes from an unknown number, the caller's real name will appear on the phone screen along with the number. It will be the name given on a government identity document, such as Aadhaar, when the SIM was bought.

The Department of Telecommunications has made it mandatory for all telecom companies to implement the rule. Users need not download any app or activate any service; it will work automatically. Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL must all follow it. No phone setting needs to be changed either.

So far, people have used apps such as Truecaller to identify unknown numbers. Calls from unknown numbers left people anxious about whether to answer, since they could not tell whether the call was from a bank or a fraudster. They would then check the name on Truecaller. But anyone can enter any name on Truecaller, so the real name could not be known. The government has now found a solution to this.

If the number is saved in the phone, the name the user saved, such as Mother, Father or a friend, will be shown. If it is not saved, the real name given when the SIM was taken will appear. "Unknown Number" will no longer be displayed.

For calls from abroad, no name will be shown. The screen will only read "International Call", as data from other countries is not available.

Each company will have to build a separate database of its customers' names and numbers. When a call comes in, the company will look up the name in that database and send it to the recipient's screen. This will take 2 to 3 seconds.

The biggest privacy concern is whether a person's name will be visible to everyone. The government has said the name will be removed from the system as soon as the call ends and will not be saved anywhere. People who do not want their name shown can opt for an option called CLIR, after which their name will not appear.

Shopkeepers and companies have a provision too. They can display the name of their shop or company, but must submit their GST or trademark document to the telecom company. The business name will be shown only if the document is found valid; otherwise the owner's real name will appear.

For ordinary users, the first step is to check in whose name their SIM is registered. In many households the SIM is in the name of a father or brother while someone else uses it. In such cases, from November 1 the people they call will see that person's name, not theirs. Those with time should get their KYC updated and check that the name, Aadhaar and photograph are correct.

Business owners should submit their GST documents to the company before November 1, so that people see the shop's name rather than their personal name.

The rule is a major setback for fraudsters, who will no longer be able to cheat people by claiming to be calling from a bank, as their real name will show on the screen. There is therefore no need to panic over a call from an unknown number. Answer only if the name shown looks familiar.