Google looks to tackle longstanding RCS spam in India — but not alone

As persistent spam complaints have clouded Google’s Rich Communication Services (RCS) push in India, the company is turning to deeper carrier integration to bolster protections on the platform. On Sunday, Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator with over 463 million subscribers, said it had partnered with Google to integrate the carrier’s network-level spam filtering into the RCS ecosystem in the country. The move is aimed at strengthening protections against unwanted messages and fraud on the platform, the companies said. India has emerged as a particularly challenging market for spam and fraud across messaging channels, driven by the country’s vast mobile user base, rapid growth in digital payments, and aggressive enterprise marketing practices. In 2022, complaints about unsolicited ads on Google’s RCS — delivered primarily through the Google Messages app — were significant enough to prompt the company to temporarily pause business promotions on the platform in India. However, some users continue to report frustration with spam messages on Google Messages, suggesting the issue has not fully abated. Airtel said it had been cautious about deeper alignment with Google’s RCS until traffic could be routed through its own spam controls, highlighting carrier concerns about rising fraud risks. “We had not onboarded Google because we first wanted RCS messages to be routed through the Airtel spam filter,” an Airtel spokesperson said. Under the partnership, Airtel’s network intelligence will be combined with Google’s RCS platform to enable real-time checks on business messaging, including sender verification, spam detection, and enforcement of users’ do-not-disturb preferences. Airtel described the move as a “global first” for integrating a telecom operator’s spam filtering directly into an over-the-top messaging platform, though the companies did not provide comparative details. “We are committed to continuing to work with the broader ecosystem of carriers to create a consistent and trusted messaging experience for RCS users around the world,” Sameer Samat, president of Android ecosystem at Google, said in a statement. The comment signals the company may look to extend the model beyond India as it works to standardize security across the RCS ecosystem. Techcrunch event Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400. Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediatelyOffer ends March 13. San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026 REGISTER NOW India represents a critical market for Google’s messaging ambitions, with more than a billion internet users and over 700 million smartphone users. The country is also home to over 853 million WhatsApp users, according to World Population Review, underlining the scale of competition in mobile messaging. Prabhu Ram, vice president for the industry research group at CyberMedia Research, said the deeper carrier integration reflects efforts to plug longstanding weaknesses in rich messaging ecosystems that have been vulnerable to spam and fraud. “The efficacy of this partnership should be reflected in metrics such as reductions in spam volume, user complaints, and fraud incidence, as well as improvements in engagement with legitimate messages,” Ram told TechCrunch. Airtel has been stepping up its anti-spam efforts over the past year, saying its AI-led systems have blocked more than 71 billion spam calls and 2.9 billion spam messages, helping drive a nearly 69% drop in fraud-related financial losses on its network. More broadly, Google has been positioning RCS as the successor to SMS, saying in May 2025 that the standard was handling more than a billion messages daily in the U.S., based on a 28-day average. Google did not say whether similar carrier integrations are planned for other markets or provide estimates for how much the move could reduce spam and fraud. Topics AI, Airtel, Apps, Google, Google Messages, Google RCS, India, Rich Communication Services Jagmeet Singh Reporter Jagmeet covers startups, tech policy-related updates, and all other major tech-centric developments from India for TechCrunch. He previously worked as a principal correspondent at NDTV. You can contact or verify outreach from Jagmeet by emailing mail@journalistjagmeet.com.

View Bio June 9 Boston, MA Actively scaling? Fundraising? Planning your next launch?TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 delivers tactical playbooks and direct access to 1,000+ founders and investors who are building, backing, and closing.Register by March 13 to save up to $300. REGISTER NOW Most Popular Google looks to tackle longstanding RCS spam in India — but not alone Jagmeet Singh Investors spill what they aren’t looking for anymore in AI SaaS companies Dominic-Madori Davis OpenAI reveals more details about its agreement with the Pentagon Anthony Ha Honor says its ‘Robot phone’ with moving camera can dance to music Ivan Mehta Honor launches its new slim foldable Magic V6 with a 6,600 mAh battery Ivan Mehta Anthropic’s Claude rises to No. 1 in the App Store following Pentagon dispute Anthony Ha SaaS in, SaaS out: Here’s what’s driving the SaaSpocalypse Dominic-Madori Davis