Page 45 - SAMENA Trends - December 2020

ARTICLE SAMENA TRENDS

1 billion telecom subscribers in India. With For the telecom sector, Blockchain is a decentralized ledger
the ever growing spam communication that maintains immutable record of
across the globe, operators realize no time is more apt than transactions that have ever happened
that they need to collaborate amongst now to leverage this in the network. Through encryption and
themselves to manage this menace. consensus mechanism, blockchain
opportunity and change provides high level of security and trust

Up until 2016, about 230 Million subscribers the business model by among the stakeholders. Due to these
in India had opted out from receiving providing ‘Self-Sovereign features, blockchain is secure from cyber-
commercial communication including attacks. Additionally, it provides seamless
unsolicited spam, both text and voice, Identity’(SSI-as-a-servi- and secure data exchange thereby
but still they continued to receive it. The ce) to their customers enhancing operational efficiencies.
number was increasing by the day since
unregistered telemarketers continued to as it acts a gateway Though there are plethora of use cases
spam customers by obtaining their consent between businesses and that the operators can explore, the
through fraudulent tactics. The impact subscribers. industry is prioritizing the implementation
was not only limited to adverse customer of use cases that bring in new revenue
experience but also led to financial losses streams and reduce cost of operations.
for telecom subscribers, for example, the real time, thereby enhancing the customer These include identity as a service, mobile
spammers would send unsolicited advice experience. Blockchain platform brings number portability, interconnect wholesale
on buying and selling stocks to gullible all operators to the decentralized ledger reconciliation and fraud mitigation, and
traders resulting in significant losses. so that real time secured data exchange roaming settlements and frauds.
can happen across the stakeholders.
Post implementation of this platform The platform keeps the customer at the Operators are solely responsible for
across operators, the subscribers are center and does communication based on efficient management of their customer
empowered to control the communication the customer preferences and consents. data and related challenges that may come
based on their preferences and consents. Moreover, the platform leads to reduction with ineffective management or leakage of
The platform allows subscribers to in subscriber complaints and cost of the same such as identity thefts, frauds,
modify the preferences dynamically in compliance. data breaches, and regulations. In this
digital world, social media is so engraved
in our lives that we are forced to give
away our personal identifiable information
such as name, date of birth, and address
by trusting the service providers. For the
telecom sector, no time is more apt than
now to leverage this opportunity and
change the business model by providing
‘Self-Sovereign Identity’(SSI-as-a-service)
to their customers as it acts a gateway

Blockchain in SSI gives full
control to the identity owner
by virtue of public key

cryptography and opens
plethora of opportunities
for telecom sector.
Additionally, it provides
immutable trail of all the
transactions including but
not limited to creation,
issuance, submission, and

Source: Truecaller verification of identities.

45 DECEMBER 2020