Bharti Airtel says its network-level fraud protection system has blocked more than 1.62 million malicious links across its mobile and Wi-Fi broadband networks. The company says the system detects suspicious links in real time without requiring customers to install another app or manually report every threat.
Airtel’s Safe Network Blocks Malicious Links
Airtel said the blocked links were encountered through SMS, messaging platforms, emails and browser redirects. Its network-based system uses AI, network intelligence, global threat repositories and real-time analysis to identify suspicious or malicious domains and links before blocking them.
The protection is available to Airtel cellular and Wi-Fi subscribers in India, subject to the company’s stated eligibility conditions. When a link is identified as malicious, Airtel can block access at the network level and redirect the customer to a secure webpage indicating that the domain has been blocked.
Airtel’s Spam Detection Has Flagged Billions of Threats
The latest malicious-link figure is part of Airtel’s broader Safe Network initiative. Airtel said its network-level spam detection system has identified more than 98.4 billion spam calls and 4.4 billion spam messages since the original spam detection system was launched in September 2024.
These figures should be read separately from the malicious-link number. Airtel describes the 98.4 billion calls and 4.4 billion messages as threats identified by its system, while the 1.62 million figure refers specifically to malicious links that were blocked.
Safe Network Expands Beyond Spam Calls
Airtel has expanded the network-level platform beyond conventional spam detection to cover other forms of digital fraud. Its current Safe Network tools include malicious-link detection, OTP fraud protection and business name display alongside spam call and message identification.
The OTP protection is designed to identify suspicious interactions in which users may be manipulated into revealing sensitive credentials. Business name display, meanwhile, is intended to provide additional context for enterprise calls and help users distinguish legitimate businesses from potential impersonation attempts.
Airtel’s latest figures show how telecom networks are increasingly being used as a layer of protection against threats that reach customers through multiple digital channels. The company says its approach is designed to work in the background rather than depend on users identifying and reporting every suspicious communication themselves.
