INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
With the solution, Airtel intercepts 100 million suspected spam calls and 3 million suspected SMSes from 2 million suspected connections
daily (Photo: Shutterstock)3 min read Last Updated : Sep 25 2024 | 2:41 PM IST
Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced a network-based
solution that will use artificial intelligence (AI) and 250 parameters to detect spam calls and messages for the telecom company's
customers.
The solution was developed in-house and starting Thursday it will use a proprietary algorithm to identify and classify calls
and text messages as "suspected SPAM", said Gopal Vittal, managing director and chief executive officer of Bharti Airtel
It has been shown to successfully identify 97 per cent of spam communication.
The solution analyses real time parameters such as a caller
solution is based on 250 parameters, including the velocity and volume of calls, frequency of device changes, number of short-duration
calls, geographical spread of calls, time on the network, number of names on the same KYC, and robo-calling devices, to analyse whether an
The solution has two filters: One at the network level and the other at information technology systems
months.
"In two milliseconds, our solution processes 1.5 billion messages and 2.5 billion calls every day
This is equivalent to processing 1 trillion records on a real-time basis using the power of AI
Our solution has successfully identified 100 million potential spam calls and 3 million spam SMSes originating every day," said
Vittal.Leveraging technology
The solution will alert customers to malicious links received via SMS
To achieve this, Airtel has built a centralised database of blacklisted URLs, and every SMS is scanned in real-time by a state-of-the-art AI
algorithm to caution users against accidentally clicking on suspicious links
However, Vittal emphasised that Airtel will not read the content of the messages.
The solution can also detect anomalies such as frequent
IMEI changes, which are typical indicators of fraudulent behaviour
By layering these protective measures, the company ensures its customers receive maximum protection against the evolving landscape of spam
and fraud threats.
With the solution, Airtel intercepts 100 million suspected spam calls and 3 million suspected SMSes from 2 million
suspected connections daily.
However, the solution is still a work in progress, particularly in expanding its coverage to feature phones
WhatsApp calls will also not be covered by the solution, as they are fully encrypted.First Published: Sep 25 2024 | 2:37 PMIST
