Bharti Airtel, India's first spam-fighting telecom network, has flagged 8 billion spam calls and 0.8 billion spam SMSes within two and a half months of launching its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solution. Leveraging advanced algorithm, the AI-powered network has identified 1 million spammers everyday, Airtel said while sharing its spam report on Monday. The company has alerted 252 million unique users to suspicious activity, resulting in a 12 percent reduction in the number of customers answering spam calls.
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Key Findings from Airtel's Spam Report
The data reveals that 6 percent of all calls and 2 percent of SMSes on Airtel’s network were flagged as spam, with 35 percent of spammers using landlines. Regionally, customers in Delhi received the highest number of spam calls, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Western Uttar Pradesh, while the highest volume of spam calls originated from Delhi, Mumbai, and Karnataka. For spam SMSes, the largest number originated from Gujarat, Kolkata, and Uttar Pradesh, targeting customers primarily in Mumbai, Chennai, and Gujarat.
Spam Trends and Demographic Insights
Interestingly, the analysis shows that 76 percent of spam calls were aimed at male customers. Among age groups, those between 36–60 years received the majority of spam calls, accounting for 48 percent, while individuals aged 26–35 years were the second most targeted, receiving 26 percent of spam calls. Only 8 percent of spam calls reached senior citizens. Spam activity is highest between 12 PM and 3 PM, with a significant drop of 40 percent on Sundays. Devices priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 were found to receive 22 percent of spam calls, showcasing a trend tied to device affordability and usage patterns.
Airtel says by meticulously examining a multitude of parameters, the AI-driven system has been able to identify these unwanted intrusions in real-time with remarkable accuracy.
Airtel Spam Report Infographic
Airtel AI-Driven Spam Detection Solution
"This groundbreaking initiative has firmly established Airtel as the first service provider in India to offer a comprehensive solution to the growing menace of spam, setting new industry standards for inclusive security measures that prioritise the privacy and convenience of its vast customer base," Airtel said in a statement Monday.
Government Measures to Combat Spam Calls
The Government of India has introduced a new 10-digit number series with a 160 prefix for transactional and service calls from trusted entities (e.g., banks, insurance firms). Meanwhile, promotional calls from unsubscribed users will continue using the 140 prefix.
Also Read: Spam, UCC Messages Find Their Way to Users Through RCS and OTT Apps?
For customers who haven't opted for Do Not Disturb (DND) and have subscribed to promotional calls, these will continue to come from numbers with the prefix 140.
