The Department of Telecommunications has made it mandatory for all telecom companies to display the real name of unknown callers on phone screens. This new rule will come into effect on November 1, 2026.

SIM card ID basis

The name displayed on the screen will correspond to the name provided in the government ID at the time of purchasing the SIM card. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had recommended this in February 2024.

This new rule will initially be implemented on 4G and 5G networks. As soon as a call is disconnected, the system will immediately erase that name from its memory.

Network coverage

On the other hand, the government will separately consider the implementation of this rule on 2G and 3G networks as well as landlines.