India's second-largest telecom operator, Bharti Airtel, on Wednesday vowed to curb the rise of spam calls and messages in the world's most populous country, announcing the rollout of an AI-powered spam-detection solution to all its customers.
The Google-backed company also announced the launch of what it claims to be India's first network-based, AI-powered spam detection system. The feature will alert Airtel customers in real time to suspected spam calls and text messages and will be enabled automatically for all users at no extra cost. Airtel has about 387 million wireless subscribers in India.
Indians have long been plagued by relentless spam attacks. A recent survey by startup LocalCircles found that 95% of users report receiving nuisance calls every day, with most experiencing the nuisance at least three times. The government's “do not disturb” (DND) registry scheme has proven largely ineffective, with the survey finding that 90% of registered users still suffer from spam attacks.
Gopal Vitthal, managing director and CEO of Bharti Airtel, said the carrier has spent 12 months building the new spam detection system. “Spam is a growing threat to our customers,” he said.
Airtel's new system is now live. Image: Airtel
The new system employs a dual-layer protection mechanism that filters communications at both the network layer and the IT system layer. Airtel's data scientists have developed proprietary algorithms that analyze various parameters such as caller usage patterns, call frequency and call duration in real time, the company said.
The AI-powered solution processes 1.5 billion messages and 2.5 billion calls every day, which translates to 1 trillion records processed in real time. Airtel's new system can now identify 100 million potential spam calls and 3 million spam SMS made every day, the company said.
As well as filtering calls and messages, the AI system also scans SMS content for malicious links by cross-referencing it with a centralised database of blacklisted URLs. This extra layer of protection is intended to stop users from accidentally clicking on suspicious links, a common tactic in scams and phishing.
The company says the system can also detect anomalies such as frequent IMEI changes, which are often a sign of fraudulent activity.
India's phone spam problem is more than just a nuisance: There has been a significant increase in Indians reporting calls from scammers posing as government authorities, delivery services and credit card companies.