Making caller ID display optional to protect subscriber privacy: Experts

Mumbai: The telecom regulator’s recommendation to offer the calling name display feature on mobile devices as an opt-in service shall protect subscriber privacy while also weeding out fraud and spam callers if implemented with reasonable care and assessment.

“We believe the CLIR (calling line identification restriction) facility is of paramount importance for protecting subscriber privacy and this definitely will not be extended to scam callers if telcos do their due diligence,” a senior government official told ET. “Telcos do gather intelligence on unsolicited calls through a complaints mechanism, which can be utilised for preventing spammers opting for CLIR.”