Globe drive for spam-free network gaining ground, numbers blocked due to spamming near 1,000!

Mobile numbers deactivated from Globe Telecom service surged this year amid intensified efforts of the mobile operator to combat unsolicited promotional materials sent through short messaging service or text messages, more commonly known as text spams.

As of April this year, Globe said it barred from its network a total of 995 mobile numbers. This is 33% higher than the total mobile numbers blocked from the network for the whole of 2013. From January to April 2014, the number of blocked numbers due to reported spamming activities increased by an average of 450% from a year ago.

“We would like to appeal to our customers to continue partnering with us in this endeavor by reporting mobile numbers used in sending annoying text spams through various Globe channels so that appropriate measures could be undertaken. As part of the company’s thrust to provide a wonderful customer experience, Globe will continue to pursue this campaign so that our network will not be used for illegal uactivities such as text spam and text scam,” Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo said.

In June, Globe stepped up its campaign versus text spams by making it easier for customers to report such annoying messages. Specifically, the mobile operator has made available on a Globe web page a channel through which its customers can report text spams and text scams alike. Customers simply have to go to http://www.globe.com.ph/stopspam and provide all the details required. Numbers that are reported for the first time as the source of text spams are sent warnings.  If the same numbers are reported for the second time due to text spams, these are immediately blocked from the network.

Aside from deactivating mobile numbers used in sending text spams, Globe has been actively reporting spamming cases to the NTC.  Globe has asked assistance from the National Telecommunications Commission to impose sanctions against spammers through fines and penalties for sending unsolicited texts to Globe subscribers.

Globe has put in place other channels by which customers may report spam or scam messages: Customers who receive irritating text spam and text scam messages may also report via the Globe website through Talk2Globe Chat; send a message through Globe Contact Form and by tweeting @Talk2GLOBE on Twitter. Subscribers can put in the number, the exact message, and the time and date the text spam was received.

Aside from the Globe channels, customers can also keep themselves from getting text spams through their own devices. iOS users may block unwanted numbers by opening the message, clicking the Contact button at the right hand corner, clicking the "i" next to the number they wish to block. They can then scroll down to the bottom of the page where they will see the option "Block this caller" and then click to confirm. For Android users, subscribers may block spam through their gadget's filtering settings: Go to Settings, press the Spam Message Settings, click "Add to Spam Numbers" and add spammers' numbers. They may also choose to actively block by inputting commonly used spam phrases and adding it to the "Add to Spam Phrases" list.

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