All cellular companies in Pakistan were asked by PTA to ensure the implementation of filtration of SPAM SMS, resultantly, systems are being put in place to filter those messages that deem SPAM or un-wanted, under “Protection from SPAM, Unsolicited, Fraudulent and Obnoxious Communication Regulation, 2009“.
We don’t know the rules or criteria for catching spam SMS, however, at least Mobilink is blocking all masked SMS sent to its network from local routes, told us those two industry sources.
Masked SMS usually don’t contain senders’ number, instead they present Alpha-Numeric name as senders’ ID. For instance messages having sender id as Google, HBL, DHA, ProPakistani etc, are blocked on Mobilink’s network.
This implementation of SPAM filtration is causing legit messages from corporate entities to their employees/customers a permanent block.
It merits mentioning here that masked SMS from international route are not caught in Mobilink’s spam filter.
Mobilink may need to revise its filtering rules, instead it should enhance filter so that legit messages are not blocked. In fact, cellular companies can ask customers to report any number as spammer.
Implementation of spam and setting a criteria for spam filtration is usually neither an easy thing nor the rules can stay in place for in-definite time. If you just take the example of spam email, this will show you how fiercely email service providers fight the spam email. On other hands, spammers always keep looking for new ways to hit the in-boxes instead of spam.
Moreover every mass-communication can’t be spam, as legitimate SMS communication that is carried away with the consent of customers can not be termed as spam.