Bharti Airtel<\/a> built a system that intercepts fraud before a call connects or a harmful link loads. Subscribers need not take any action. The protection works at the network level, without any setup from the user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSolution<\/h4>\n\n\n\nNetwork-level fraud blocking for calls and SMS<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Airtel launched India\u2019s first AI-powered spam detection system in September 2024. The system processes over one trillion data records every day. It checks signals including call and SMS velocity, inbound-to-outbound ratios, SIM and device switching frequency, and geographic anomalies. When the system flags a call or message, the subscriber receives a real-time alert. Consequently, the system blocks 1.17 million spammers each day on average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Airtel also introduced a Business Name Display Service to protect legitimate businesses from wrongful spam flags. This shows verified brand names on screen during incoming business calls. Subscribers can then tell genuine calls from impersonation attempts. No other Indian operator had launched this service before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DNS-level fraud blocking across OTT platforms<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
In May 2025, Airtel launched its Fraud Detection Solution. The service also covers browsing, SMS, email, and OTT messaging apps including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram. Airtel maintains a database of malicious domains, drawing on feeds from Mavenir, Openphish, Mindtest, Google, and Microsoft. The database updates every 24 hours. When a subscriber clicks a link, the system scores the domain in milliseconds. If the domain matches a known fraud pattern, the system blocks it at the DNS level. The page never loads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Airtel also developed fraud prevention APIs that follow GSMA CAMARA standards. A SIM Swap API detects recent SIM changes within a defined time window. A Device Swap API flags sudden changes in SIM-to-device pairings. An OTP Validation API checks whether one-time passwords reached their destination. Each API returns a yes or no signal in real time. Banks, fintechs, and OTT platforms can then trigger extra verification for high-risk transactions. This adds friction without disrupting normal users. The OTP Validation API holds GSMA certification and currently operates in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nImpact<\/h4>\n\n\n\nNetwork-level fraud blocking results across India<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
The spam detection system now analyses 1.5 billion SMS messages and 2.4 billion calls every day. It also flags around 4% of calls and 1.5% of SMS as spam. As a result, real-time alerts reach 92% of Airtel subscribers across the network. The Fraud Detection Solution has blocked 187,154 fraudulent domains since launch. In total, that prevents approximately 3.04 million fraud attempts every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Airtel has also identified the key gap in the current model. As telco-channel defences have strengthened, fraud has migrated toward OTT platforms where regulatory oversight remains lighter. Airtel now works with regulators to extend security frameworks to those platforms. It also collaborates with other operators to make the Fraud Detection Solution available across the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overall, Airtel\u2019s results demonstrate that network-level fraud blocking can protect subscribers even where platform-level filtering cannot reach. Government threat data, carrier-grade detection, and open API standards give other operators a clear architecture to follow. The cross-sector model connects telecoms to banking and OTT apps. It also points toward how the industry can close the remaining gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCost<\/strong>
This solution is offered to all Airtel subscribers free of charge making it impractical to evaluate \u2018cost vs. outcome\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\nParticipating organisations:<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBharti Airtel Limited and Bharti Hexacom Limited<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n \n