EE announces AI-based security enhancements to boost its network's security

The EE logo on a yellow and turquoise background

One of the UK's largest mobile networks, EE, has announced several AI-based security enhancements that it’s making to its network. The three new security measures include Enhanced Call Protect, International SMS blocking, and SMS blocking of trusted routes.

With Enhanced Call Protect, EE aims to identify and label nuisance and scam calls for its EE mobile and BT Digital Voice customers. This feature will eliminate caller anonymity by verifying who is calling or labelling the call with a scam warning.

With International SMS blocking, EE says it will block messages that use special characters to disguise scam detection such as using €€ instead of EE. This blocking will also protect users from international numbers and non-UK short codes.

Finally, SMS blocking of trusted routes will see an update to existing AI technology to help detect common ‘Hi Mum, Hi Dad’ scams where scammers pose as a friend or relative of the victim. The technology will review the messages themselves as well as the volumetric data on the number of messages sent from particular numbers to work out if they’re legitimate or not.

Jonny Bunt, Director of Regulatory Affairs for Consumer division of BT Group said:

‘The number of scams we’re managing to block on our network while impressive, is alarming at the same time. With the planned updates to our network technology, and through closely working with Ofcom, we’re helping take the fight to the scammers and target the most common tactics and trends to keep our customers safe.

We’re now also calling on the wider industry to increase their investment in technology to help block scams from reaching consumers and ensure bad actors are no longer able to profit from innocent honest people answering a call from a trusted number or a believable looking message.’

EE said that it will be rolling out these new updates across its network in the coming weeks and months. EE warns that if you suspect a scam caller then you should keep your private information to yourself and hang up the phone. If a business has contacted you but you’re suspicious, EE recommends hanging up and calling on a trusted phone number.