TRAI Directs Telecom Companies to Deploy AI-Based System to Detect, Crack Down on Senders of Pesky Texts

Telecom regulator TRAI has directed all telcos to deploy Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning based systems to detect, identify, and act against senders of commercial communication who are not registered in accordance with regulations.

All the access providers have been asked to comply with the directions and report an updated status on actions taken, within 30 days.

In a statement on the issue of direction for deploying Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-based UCC (Unsolicited Commercial Communication) Detect system, TRAI explained that the entities who do not get registered with the access providers, and use ten digits mobile numbers for sending commercial communications through messages or calls are called Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs).

While a slew of measures taken by TRAI to curb pesky messages, has led to a drop in complaints against Registered Telemarketers (RTMs), "UCC from Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs) is still continuing." The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) termed pesky calls and messages as a major source of inconvenience to the public.

"At times these Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs) through messages having fraudulent links and telephone numbers trap the customers into sharing of their critical information causing financial loss to the customers," TRAI said.

To detect, identify and act against all such unregistered telemarketers, TRAI has been nudging Access Service Providers to implement the `UCC_Detect System' with requisite functionalities within the framework of TRAI's Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations, 2018.

Access Service providers have implemented such detect systems as per their suitability and feasibility.

However, "the UTMs are continuously evolving new techniques to send unsolicited communications and the current UCC detect systems deployed by the Access Service providers are not fully capable to detect such UCC," TRAI said.

In order to have uniformity of UCC Detect System implementations, TRAI has directed all access providers to deploy Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning based UCC_Detect systems capable of constantly evolving to deal with new signatures, new patterns, and new techniques used by Unregistered Telemarketers.

Access providers have also been directed to share intelligence with other Access Providers using Distributed ledger technology or DLT platform.

"Access Providers have further been directed to ensure that such UCC_Detect System shall detect senders who are sending Unsolicited Commercial Communications in bulk and not complying with the provisions of the regulations," the regulator said.