Bharti Airtel today announced the launch of what it claims is India's first network-based, AI-powered spam detection solution that will significantly solve the issue of spam calls and messages for its customers. Airtel says its AI solution processes 1 trillion records in real-time, flagging 100 million spam calls and 3 million SMS messages every day.
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Real-Time Alerts for Customers
According to the company, this first-of-its-kind solution from a telecom service provider in the country is a tool that will alert customers in real time to all suspected spam calls and SMS messages. The solution is available free of charge and will be automatically activated for all Airtel customers without them needing to raise a service request or download an app, Airtel said.
Commenting on the launch of the solution, Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bharti Airtel said, "Spam has become a menace for customers. We have spent the last twelve months working to solve this comprehensively. Today marks a milestone as we launch the country’s first AI-powered spam-free network that will shield our customers from the continuous onslaught of intrusive and unwanted communications."
Dual-Layer Protection Mechanism
"Designed as a dual-layer protection system, the solution features two filters: one at the network layer and the second at the IT systems layer. Every call and SMS passes through this dual-layered AI shield. In just 2 milliseconds, our solution processes 1.5 billion messages and 2.5 billion calls every day. This is equivalent to processing 1 trillion records in real-time using the power of AI. Our solution has successfully identified 100 million potential spam calls and 3 million spam SMS messages every day. For us, keeping our customers secure is a top priority," Gopal added.
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Malicious Link Detection
The AI-powered solution has reportedly been developed by Airtel's data scientists and uses a proprietary algorithm to identify and classify calls and SMS messages as "Suspected SPAM." Airtel explained that the AI-powered network analyses various parameters such as the caller or sender's usage patterns, call/SMS frequency, and call duration, among others, in real-time. By cross-referencing this information against known spam patterns, the system accurately flags suspected spam calls and SMS messages.
Additionally, Airtel said the solution also alerts customers to malicious links received via SMS. In addition to spam detection, the tool scans SMS messages for malicious links, using a centralised database of blacklisted URLs to safeguard users from potential threats. The launch aligns with the Government of India’s guidelines, ensuring legitimate transactional calls from specific prefixes while managing promotional calls for those who have not opted for Do Not Disturb services.
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Government Guidelines
The Government of India has allocated 10-digit numbers with the prefix 160 for service and transactional calls. Additionally, customers who have not opted for Do Not Disturb (DND) and have subscribed to receive promotional calls will continue to receive them from a 10-digit number with the prefix 140.
