Indian Telecom Giants Deploy AI to Combat Spam: Vodafone Idea and Airtel Lead the Charge

Vodafone Idea Launches AI-Powered Spam SMS Identification Solution

Over 24 million spam messages detected and flagged.Incoming suspicious messages are labeled Suspected Spam.AI-powered system delivers real-time protection. Indian telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) has announced that it is rolling out 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: Airtel Launches AI-Powered Network Solution for Spam Detection Since its initial testing phase, the solution has detected and tagged over 24 million spam messages, Vi said noting that Incoming messages identified as suspicious will now be labeled as "Suspected Spam," enabling users to avoid potential scams. "With spam messages on the rise, which are often used as a gateway to frauds, Vi's Spam SMS solution will safeguard customers by identifying and managing unsolicited and potentially harmful text in real-time," the company said. Commenting on the development, Jagbir Singh, CTO of Vodafone Idea Limited, said: "As more customers embrace digital communication, we recognise the growing threat posed by SMS-based spams and potential scam attempts. Our AI-powered spam detection technology reinforces our commitment to customer safety by delivering proactive, real-time protection. Vi is focused on staying ahead of these threats and empowering customers with information to make their mobile experience safer." As part of its commitment to customer safety and experience, Vi said it is continuously working to develop solutions to curb spam, including voice calls, to ensure its users are further protected from unsolicited calls. Also Read: Airtel Deploys AI Based Speech Analytics Solution to Improve Customer Experience These measures complement Vi's existing initiatives, such as enabling a user-friendly mobile app interface for filing spam complaints. This includes automatic capture of spam content, sender numbers, and dates, as well as whitelisting trusted URLs in brand messages. Vi also uses consumer feedback and complaints into its Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) detection system, which identifies patterns of bulk calls -- such as calls made from a single number to many different recipients -- and restricts their use to prevent further abuse. Also Read: Vodafone Idea Enhances Network in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with Spectrum Upgrades Leveraging machine learning algorithms, the predictive system learns from incoming data patterns such as phishing links, unusual sender details and phrases commonly used in spam messages to enhance its detection capabilities over time, Vi explained. Additionally, Vi said it runs regular user awareness campaigns to support efforts against digital fraud. The service operates automatically, requires no setup or app installation, and is free of charge, offering robust protection against phishing and scam attempts.

Airtel Says Flagged 8 Billion Spam Calls with AI Solution

Significant drop in spam activity on Sundays, with 40 percent less calls. 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. Also Read: Airtel Launches AI-Powered Network Solution for Spam Detection 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. 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. "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. 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.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) Unveils AI-Powered Spam SMS Identification System

The AI algorithms have been trained on millions of spam SMS examples Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Monday announced a new artificial intelligence (AI) solution that will proactively detect spam SMS and warn users. The telecom operator highlighted that this network-based system uses both AI and machine learning (ML) technologies to look for potential harmful messages in real time. The company has already conducted an initial test phase of the solution, and claims it was able to flag more than 24 million spam messages. Notably, Airtel also launched a network-based solution that detects both spam calls and messages earlier this year. In a press release, the telecom operator detailed the new solution to detect and flag spam SMS. Calling such messages "gateway to frauds", Vi said that the spam SMS solution would safeguard users by identifying and managing unsolicited and potentially dangerous text messages as they are received on a device. With the new AI system, Vi says it will continuously analyse incoming SMS to identify potential threats, including fraudulent URLs, authorised promotions, and identity theft attempts. The real-time monitoring will be done by automated machines powered by AI algorithms that have been pre-trained on millions of instances of spam. These algorithms use predictive analysis to detect data patterns such as phishing links, unusual sender details, and phrases that usually present in spam messages. The AI system is self-learning, and Vi claims the solution will improve on its own in the future and detect more sophisticated spam and message-based scams. Once the AI determines that an SMS could be spam, it tags the messages as "Suspected Spam" to warn users. In a demonstrated example, the tag was added within the text message at the beginning so that users do not miss the warning. Vi highlighted that the new solution will be integrated in addition to existing infrastructure and approaches to curb spam on both calls and messages. Other such measures include an option to file spam complaints on the mobile app, unsolicited commercial communication (UCC) detection, identifying bulk call patterns, and more. The telecom operator also stated that it regularly runs customer awareness campaigns to help users spot phishing attempts, report spam, and encourage safety measures.

After Airtel, Vodafone Idea launches AI-Powered Spam Filter

Telecom operator Vodafone Idea recently introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) powered spam SMS detection solution aiming to create a safe messaging experience for users. The spam management solution, which integrates AI and Machine Learning (ML), has notified over 24 million spam messages since its initial testing phase, the company claimed. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) approved the pilot program during a review meeting with telecom companies in March last year. A trained AI algorithm would be deployed to ensure real-time monitoring of incoming messages, identifying potential threats like fraudulent links, as per the company's press release. Further, the machine learning feature will 'learn' from incoming data patterns like phishing links and commonly used phrases in spam messages to improve detection over time. Finally, the messages identified as spam will be denoted as "Suspected Spam" to warn users instantly. In September of this year, Bharti Airtel launched a similar network-based AI-enabled spam detection solution with auto-activation for its customers. In addition to providing alerts about spam calls/messages, the system would also warn users of malicious URLs in SMSs. The move followed a direction by TRAI in June 2023, calling upon access providers to deploy AI and ML-based spam detection systems. Following Airtel's launch, government-owned telecom provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) also announced plans for a similar spam detection system to be unveiled at the India Mobile Congress 2024. Vodafone Idea's announcement comes soon after a plea by telecom operators urging the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) to promptly notify the draft guidelines to curb spam calls and messages, Business Standard reported. Issued in June, the guidelines aimed to prevent consumer rights violations caused through unsolicited business communications like SMS, voice calls, etc received by consumers. Besides this, in September 2024, TRAI also proposed a major overhaul of its 2018 spam regulations, initiating a consultation for the same. There was discussion of separating regulations for individual and enterprise-level spammers, as well as a possible modification of telecom providers' spam detection system. Responding to this, Truecaller suggested the collaboration of telecom providers with third-party apps for AI-enabled spam solutions, while Hindustan Unilever advocated for adequate safeguards by telecom companies before instituting any AI systems for spam detection. As per a 2023 survey of 11,157 mobile subscribers conducted by LocalCircles, 66% received spam calls daily. Further, 92% of the respondents claimed receiving spam calls despite registering it for the 'Do Not Disturb' (DND) list. Moreover, the Truecaller Insights 2017 report disclosed that an Indian Truecaller user receives an average of 22.6 spam calls per month, a figure higher than 20 other countries affected by the same issue. In 2017, TRAI launched a Do Not Disturb (DND) app for filtering spam calls with a separate complaint section. However, MediaNama reported that users experienced long wait times for complaint resolutions and found the portal unsatisfactory. Currently, the revamped version of the app TRAI DND 3.0 is available for download across Android and Apple devices.

Airtel's AI-powered spam solution flagged over 8 billion spam calls in 2.5 months

Bharti Airtel has announced the release of a detailed report highlighting the performance of its AI-powered spam solution, marking a significant milestone in network security in India. Since its launch, Airtel's network has flagged over 8 billion spam calls and 0.8 billion spam SMS messages, leveraging advanced AI algorithms to identify nearly 1 million spammers daily. The proactive approach of Airtel's AI-powered system has resulted in alerts to approximately 252 million unique customers about suspicious activities in just two and a half months, according to the company's report. Airtel emphasized that its AI-powered system enables real-time detection of spam, significantly improving network security. This initiative has positioned Airtel as the first Indian service provider to effectively tackle spam, enhancing privacy and convenience for users. The company also highlighted its role in setting new industry standards for comprehensive security measures.

Vi introduces AI Powered Spam SMS Identification Solution

Vi has introduced a new AI and ML-powered spam management solution to protect its users from spam. This proactive solution automatically detects and flags potential spam messages, ensuring a secure and clutter-free mobile experience for Vi users. Since its initial testing phase, the solution has successfully flagged over 24 million spam messages, said the company. With the rise of spam messages, often used as a gateway to fraud, Vi's Spam SMS solution safeguards customers by identifying and managing unsolicited and potentially harmful text in real-time. Vi is actively developing solutions to combat spam across various channels, including voice calls. This commitment aims to protect users from unsolicited communication. In addition to its new AI-powered spam management solution, Vi employs several measures: Vi's new spam solution uses advanced technology to protect its customers from unwanted and harmful messages: Regarding this, Jagbir Singh, CTO, Vodafone Idea Limited, said: