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Now it has become easier for mobile users to identify spam and genuine SMS. Telecom operators have started adding new suffixes (characters) to SMS headers, which will help in identifying the sender and the nature of the message. Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) gave this information on Tuesday. COAI includes major telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea.

COAI Director General SP Kochhar said that all telecom service providers have implemented the suffix system for promotional (‘P’), service- (‘S’), practical (‘T’) and government (‘G’) messages. This step has been taken under the amended Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR) on 12 February 2025.

Kochhar said, “This has strengthened transparency and customer security. Customers can now know at a glance which messages are promotional, which are service and which are commercial or government. This will significantly reduce spam and also prevent scams.” Kochhare expressed concern over the increasing spam and fraudulent messages through OTT (over-the-top) messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram etc. “No consent framework or spam control measure can be fully effective unless the entire communications ecosystem is regulated,” he said. Due to lack of clear control on OTT platforms, most of the scams and unwanted promotions are now coming from these apps, which has become a matter of concern for the users.