Thai Operators Start Blocking Spam SMS

Thailand's three main mobile network operators are to cooperate on blocking SMS spam being sent over their networks. The three GSM based networks, AIS, DTAC and True Move are to spend THB 30 million (US$880,000) on anti-spam software to filter messages sent between their three networks.

It is expected that the messaging hub will block 90% of the 10 million junk messages sent every day.

Customers will have to opt-in to the system to have their messages filtered, in order to protect the operators from accusations of secretly blocking legitimate messages by mistake.

Somchai Lertsutiwong, executive vice president for marketing at Advanced Info Service, told the Bangkok Post that the cooperative effort was aimed at protecting customers from junk advertising messages. The measures would not block "white" messages relating to financial information and financial transaction updates from banks.

The three operators, between them, handle around 270 million text messages per day. According to figures from the Mobile World analysts, their combined customer base at the end of Q1 was just over 61.5 million - representing about 98% of the country's total user base.

On the web: Bangkok Post - Mobile World

Posted to the site on 12th August 2009