80% spam calls, messages move to OTT communications platforms: Telcos

New Delhi: Telecom operators, along with the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), have said that stringent regulations have driven about 80% of spam calls and messages to unregulated over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms and internet messaging apps, and that the sector regulator should bring these platforms under its regulatory framework.

Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea said that while their networks are strictly regulated with KYC (know your customer) mandates, header registrations and AI-driven spam filters, OTT applications enjoy lighter oversight, helping fraudsters bypass the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) attempts to curb spam messages and calls.