Bharti Airtel, India’s leading telecom provider, unveiled the country’s first network-based, AI-powered spam detection solution on September 25, 2024. The system, designed to combat unwanted calls and messages, processes 1 trillion records in real-time, flagging 100 million potential spam calls and 3 million spam SMSes daily.

The shares of Bharti Airtel Limited were trading flat at ₹1,756.40 on the NSE today at 11.30 am.

The free, auto-activated service employs a dual-layer protection system, incorporating filters at both the network and IT systems levels. Developed in-house, the AI algorithm analyzes various parameters to identify suspected spam, including usage patterns, call frequency, and duration.

Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and CEO of Bharti Airtel, emphasized the company’s commitment to shielding customers from intrusive communications. The solution also detects malicious links in SMS messages and identifies frequent IMEI changes, a common indicator of fraudulent behavior.

This initiative aligns with the Indian government’s allocation of 10-digit numbers with the prefix 160 for service and transactional calls from authorized entities. Airtel’s move represents a significant step in addressing spam concerns in the telecommunications sector.