Spam, UCC Messages Find Their Way to Users Through RCS and OTT Apps?

The solution will alert customers in real-time to all suspected spam calls and SMS. The solution is free of charge and will be automatically activated for all Airtel customers without them having to raise a service request or download an app. This was followed by state-owned telecom operator BSNL, which announced and launched its AI/ML-powered solution to curb spam communications on its mobile network. BSNL demonstrated its spam detection network, which not only alerts users but also blocks spam at IMC 2024.

Also Read: BSNL Showcases Automatic Customer Acquisition and SIM Vending Machine at IMC2024

Vi AI/ML Spam Management Solution

The third-largest telecom operator, Vodafone Idea, also announced on December 2 the rollout of a spam management solution powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to protect its users from spam SMS threats. According to Vodafone Idea, this real-time system identifies and flags potential spam, such as phishing links and unauthorised promotions, enhancing user safety and delivering a clutter-free mobile experience.

Also Read: Vodafone Idea Launches AI-Powered Spam SMS Identification Solution

Spam finding New Ways to Reach Users?

However, despite all the efforts from telecom operators at the network level, spam messages—marketing communications or unwanted, unrequested communications from brands—are beginning to sneak into users’ devices via RCS (Rich Communication Services) and over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and other apps on telecom networks.

In our experience, we have already witnessed unsolicited commercial or spam communications being sent to users via WhatsApp or RCS on the Android platform.

Additionally, we are seeing attempts to indirectly make customers enable RCS on mobile platforms, ensuring that this mode of communication is activated. Regardless of the intention, we believe an expressway for communication with end users is being created.

Also Read: TRAI Dismisses Concerns Over OTP Delivery Delays Amid New Traceability Guidelines

Limited Scope of DND

Since TRAI and telcos’ efforts are directed toward SMS, and through DND, a user can only complain about spam or UCC to the network provider, there is no way for an end user to complain about communication received through these external modes, which are outside the scope of the telecom operator. Although these communications (via RCS/OTT) leverage telecom resources, they fall outside the scope or purview of the telecom operator, leaving consumers with no way to raise a complaint or request.

WhatsApp Business Platform Moves

To encourage more businesses to send communications to customers via WhatsApp, Meta has recently made customer service messaging free for businesses, making it the cheapest channel for enterprise communication. This move aims to enhance AI chatbot interactions and increase its market share in India, which is currently dominated by traditional SMS.

“We are making updates to pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform,” WhatsApp Business said on its website, noting, “Effective November 1, 2024, service conversations are free to encourage businesses to be available for their customers on WhatsApp, including via AI-enabled conversational experiences.”

WhatsApp has updated the pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform to simplify it, making service conversations free starting November 1, 2024. Effective February 1, 2025, WhatsApp Business plans to expand authentication international rates to seven additional markets across APAC and EMEA.

Vodafone Idea Partnership with Google for RCS

Vodafone Idea, in February 2024, forged a partnership with Google, becoming the first Indian telecom operator to partner with Google to offer RCS messaging to enterprise clients in India, utilising Google’s Jibe Cloud platform. Google’s RCS supports high-quality photos and videos, read receipts, enhanced group messaging, and encryption for chats.

Vi Partnership with Vi Business

In May 2024, Dotgo, a provider of Rich Communication Services (RCS), announced a strategic partnership with Vi Business, the enterprise arm of Vi. Under this partnership, Dotgo has been offering its Messaging as a Platform (MaaP) solution to manage services for Vi Business, helping monetise RCS business messaging (RBM) services nationwide.

Rich Communication Services or RCS is a rich, interactive, two-way conversational messaging feature available within the native messaging app on Android phones. Enterprises use RCS for customer engagement, awareness, and support. Vi is the only provider of ‘Rich Business Messaging’ service in India, and Dotgo’s MaaP solution has been empowering its customers by delivering RCS business messages, Dotgo said in an announcement.

Rich Business Messaging services powered by Google RCS and Dotgo’s MaaP solution have been integrated into Vi, enabling the delivery of RCS business messages to all mobile subscribers in India.

COAI Complaints to Telecom Ministry

As per reports, earlier, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents India’s top three telecom companies—Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi)—sent a letter to the telecom ministry accusing global technology giants, such as Microsoft and Amazon, of “presumably circumventing and bypassing the legal telecom route” by using WhatsApp to send enterprise messages to customers. The letter claimed that this caused a likely Rs 3,000 crore annual revenue loss to both the Centre and the service providers.

However, the same telcos use WhatsApp to send their commercial communications to users. For example, the third-largest operator Vodafone Idea, through its SMS communications, shares WhatsApp URLs with its users to avail services via WhatsApp, indirectly promoting a third-party OTT platform.

Conclusion

Despite efforts to curb unsolicited promotional calls and SMS, consumers still receive such messages from unknown numbers. One of the main reasons for this problem is the widespread sharing of personal contact numbers without proper diligence. The Government of India, through the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, has issued guidelines to address the issue of retailers requiring customers to share their mobile numbers against their will. Even though regulations are in place, many retailers still ask for mobile numbers for billing and service provision. There are chances that your information may leak from any parties or actors involved in handling customer private data.

Also Read: Menace of Promotional Calls and SMS: Mobile Number Not Required to Avail Services from Retailers

Consumer Affairs Ministry Guidelines

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs issued guidelines in May 2023 regarding the usage and sharing of personal contact information for retail shopping, aiming to benefit users and safeguard their privacy. The Ministry issued an advisory instructing retailers not to require customers’ personal contact information or mobile phone numbers as a mandatory condition for providing certain services.

On one hand, the telecom ecosystem is trying to fix issues with spam and UCC by deploying blockchain technology and AI/ML services. On the other hand, a whole new highway to reach customers is being opened via OTT or RCS platforms. Thus, the responsibility of safeguarding against spam or misleading communications also falls on the consumer, and it doesn’t end with boasting about or maintaining a mobile service connected to high-speed networks. The more advanced connectivity becomes, the more careless or unaware a consumer is, and the higher the chances of the customer being exploited and falling for fraud or scam practices.

Consumer Responsibility in Preventing Spam

The only option available to customers, for now, is to block or report spam while not knowing the status of such complaints or reports, especially when it comes to OTT platforms. However, spam communications continue to reach smartphones from different accounts or numbers. Therefore, the only choice for consumers is to ensure they don’t treat their mobile number as public information and stop sharing it carelessly.

We believe a mobile number is personal information, and consumers need to be cautious about not sharing it unnecessarily everywhere, especially when they are unsure about where it is being specifically used.