NBTC tightens oversight of foreign SMS with new firewall screening system
The NBTC introduces stricter screening of SMS sent from abroad with new Firewall technology and visible alert symbols to warn recipients.
- The NBTC is requiring mobile operators to implement SMS Firewall technology to screen for suspicious content, specifically targeting a rise in fraudulent messages from abroad.
- This new measure is a response to a sharp increase in foreign scam SMS, with over 1 million suspicious texts being blocked daily since early September.
- The firewall system will automatically scan messages, either blocking them or marking them with a warning symbol (like an exclamation mark) to alert users to potentially fraudulent content.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) held its 8th meeting of the Subcommittee on the Integration of Telecommunications Technology Crime Law Enforcement on Friday.
The meeting was chaired by Pol Gen Nattathorn Praosunthorn, with Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan, Commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), as well as representatives from related agencies and mobile operators in attendance.
The meeting reviewed progress under the NBTC’s measures to curb online crimes by monitoring SMS messages, especially those sent from abroad.
Under the new framework, mobile operators are required to use SMS Firewall technology to screen suspicious content. Messages flagged as potentially fraudulent will either be blocked or marked with a visible warning symbol such as an exclamation mark (!) to alert users.
Nattathorn said that since the enforcement of the eight key measures under the Royal Decree on the Prevention and Suppression of Technology Crimes on August 30, scam calls have declined significantly.
However, the number of fraudulent SMS messages originating from abroad has sharply increased since early September, with more than 1 million suspicious texts blocked daily.
To address this, the NBTC has instructed mobile operators to:
- Separate domestic and international SMS traffic to improve screening speed and reduce delays in delivering legitimate OTP messages.
- Require registration and KYC verification for domestic Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS senders, who will be placed on a “white list” separate from foreign senders.
- Deploy SMS Firewall systems across all networks to automatically scan message content and mark foreign-origin messages with warning symbols.
- Register all Simbox devices by November 2025; unregistered units will be disconnected from telecom networks, preventing call-centre gangs from exploiting them.
