India’s Tech Mahindra to introduce blockchain solution for spam calls

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Tech Mahindra is deploying a blockchain-based solution against unsolicited commercial communication, otherwise known as spam calls. The Pune, India-based tech giant revealed that this solution would help over 300 million subscribers.

According to a report by Indian publication Business Today, the firm developed the solution in line with new regulations that are expected to kick in come the last week of May. These regulations by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) seek to protect mobile phone subscribers from the ever-rising menace that’s spam calls.

Tech Mahindra developed the solution in partnership with Microsoft. The two then presented a proof of concept of this solution to TRAI last year. The solution relies on blockchain technology to store a user’s contact preferences, including contacts that they would like to communicate with. Effectively, this helps the telecom operator protect the subscriber from unwanted calls including spam calls.

Once TRAI’s regulations kick in at the end of this month, the other telecoms could be forced to turn to Tech Mahindra’s solution. This will make it arguably the most widely used blockchain application with over 800 million users, Tech Mahindra’s executive Rajesh Dhuddu told the publication. Moreover, the company, which has over 1,000 active clients, is in talks with other telecom operators abroad to onboard them as well, Dhuddu revealed.

In a note that was circulated to local media outlets, Tech Mahindra further revealed that it was targeting other sectors with its blockchain products including finance and manufacturing. Recently, the firm developed an immutable blockchain-based record of audit transactions for one of the largest banks in India.

Dhuddu revealed just how big the firm’s bet on blockchain was:

“At Tech Mahindra, we are betting big on Blockchain as part of our TechMNxt charter, to deliver tangible business value and empower our customers to provide a completely differentiated experience to their end customers.”

The company withheld the names of its clients, stating that it’s currently in a silent period as it monitors the progress of its blockchain products.

Just recently, we reported that Tech Mahindra had partnered with Samsung in the development of the latter’s Nexledger blockchain platform. Making the announcement, Samsung SDS president Mahn Chey stated:

“We are proud to announce our joint efforts to promote Nexledger in the global market with Tech Mahindra. […] Together with Tech Mahindra, we look forward to delivering blockchain powered digital transformation to our clients.”

This isn’t the first instance of blockchain use in the fight against spam. Last year, Salesforce acquired a patent for a blockchain-based application that sought to end the menace of spam email.