Bharti Airtel is reportedly developing new technology to eliminate online scams and phishing attempts via SMS and calls for its 380 million mobile users. Having successfully tackled spam, the telecom giant is now focused on preventing fraudsters from misusing OTPs and malicious links, ET Telecom reported, citing a top official.
Also Read: Airtel Urges TRAI to Regulate WhatsApp and Other OTT Platforms to Combat Spam: Report
Airtel's New Technology in Development
Once implemented, the service will prevent scammers from exploiting one-time passwords (OTPs) and online links, the official reportedly said. "We have not yet found the solution, but we are about 80 percent there. Once we crack a solution, there will be no fraud on the Airtel network," the official said, according to the report.
OTT Platforms Pose a Challenge
However, the proposed technology will not work on over-the-top (OTT) communication apps, which, according to the official, is "not right" for consumers. He reportedly called for government and regulatory intervention to curb spam on these platforms.
"Identification of spam is very high on our network due to our artificial intelligence (AI)-based spam solution. But it doesn't work on OTTs, because the traffic is encrypted and we can't intervene," the official was quoted as saying in the report.
Also Read: Spam, UCC Messages Find Their Way to Users Through RCS and OTT Apps?
He stressed that Airtel users should be protected from spam messages originating from OTT platforms and advocated for regulatory measures to curb such spam. "Spam is a menace for everyone, regardless of the platform. All stakeholders should come together to actually kill spam," he reportedly added.
Call for Regulatory Intervention to Tackle Spam
India remains a hotspot for SMS phishing, with an estimated 120-150 million scam messages sent monthly. Around 300,000 people fall victim, but only a fraction report incidents, according to the report.
Telecom operators have raised concerns over the rising threat of spam and scams on OTT platforms. However, efforts to control them remain ineffective as these platforms are not regulated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) or the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
Also Read: Airtel Launches AI-Powered Network Solution for Spam Detection
With telecom operators increasingly raising concerns over unchecked scams on OTT platforms, Airtel is pushing for stricter regulations to safeguard users.
