Latest Telecom Messaging Trends and Analysis

Infobip released its latest Messaging Trends Report: Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging continues to skyrocket. Infobip analyzed more than 530 billion interactions on its platform between businesses and consumers in 2024 to identify the latest global business messaging trends. The data suggests Apple’s support for RCS, following its iOS 18 update in late 2024, contributed to a fivefold increase in global RCS traffic, with North America alone seeing a 14x surge.  "RCS is taking off because it works. The branded and verified experience reduces hesitation, while rich visuals capture attention and drive engagement." Ivan Ostojic

🌐 Direct-to-Device (D2D): The Next Big Thing for Mobile Network Operators The potential for growth in the Direct-to-Device (D2D) market is one of the most exciting developments in the telecom industry. By solving the “no coverage” problem to enable consumers to still use messaging, data, and voice without having Mobile Network Operators to deploy new towers in the coverage challenged areas, D2D could open up entirely new revenue streams for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). Today, Apple provides D2D (e.g., emergency messaging) as a bundle for iPhone 14 and new generation phones for free of charge. While the convenience of accessibility of devices everywhere is clear, monetizing it remains uncharted territory. Are consumers ready to pay extra for something they’re used to getting at no cost? To truly capture this opportunity, MNOs will need to: 🔹 Demonstrate clear value—whether it’s better quality, exclusive capability, or the service quality elsewhere. 🔹 Collaborate with content providers to explore incremental services or value propositions. 🔹 Educate users on how this tech improves their digital experience. The potential for innovation is enormous! #DirectToDevice #TelecomInnovation #MobileNetworkOperators #RevenueGrowth #CustomerExperience

The future of the 6-digit code 🔐 It’s the start of the year, and I’ve already had several insightful conversations with partners and thought leaders across the industry. A few clear takeaways are emerging: 1️⃣ Silent authentication is gaining momentum … signal-based intelligence (SIM swap, device signals, etc.) is increasingly reducing reliance on SMS OTPs, with a clear expectation that price per SMS evolves into price per silent auth.. 2️⃣ Fraud remained high through 2025, with AIT hitting all-time peaks. This is accelerating a shift toward direct telco–sender connectivity. 3️⃣ There’s a growing need for a responsible authentication and signaling marketplace — clean, transparent, and honest routing from end to end. 4️⃣ Silent auth still faces challenges for non-cellular users. TS43 (Number Verify v2) is coming, but rollout is slow and limited in market coverage. We need more innovative, cost-efficient approaches to bring 800+ telcos on board — perhaps even revisiting some proven “old-school” auth methods. 5️⃣ An industry-wide ask is emerging for pay-per-verification models, rather than pricing tied to submission or delivery. 6️⃣ Finally, there’s a growing recognition that higher price per SMS incentivised alternative routing across the ecosystem, reducing legitimate volumes and driving significant investment in defensive controls. Pricing now appears to be settling back toward more sustainable levels seen a few years ago, which feels like a healthier, long-term trend overall. Overall, an exciting year ahead. Hearing this alignment from partners and thought leaders is reassuring — and I’m confident 2026 will be a pivotal year, with the authentication landscape being reshaped collaboratively by the industry. #Authentication #OTP #SilentAuth #NumberVerify #FraudPrevention #A2P #DigitalIdentity

Rogers Communications just launched satellite-to-mobile messaging across Canada. Will consumers pay for it? We’ve got real data that can answer that question. Last week, Rogers unveiled Rogers Satellite, a direct-to-cell (D2C) satellite messaging service powered by LEO satellites from SpaceX’s STARLINK and Lynk Global, integrated with Rogers’ national wireless spectrum. The service is free for all Canadians until October, supporting both regular and emergency text messaging. Future updates will include apps, data, and voice services, including 911 voice support. After the trial: 🔹Free for Rogers Ultimate Plan customers 🔹$15/month for others, with a $5/month discount for beta users in year one You might recall that last year, Shagun Sachdeva Ferran, Lluc P., Christopher Baugh and the team explored early consumer interest in D2C. This year, we’ve gone deeper, with fresh survey data and granular insights across 19 countries. From our early Canadian test sample (perfectly aligned with the Rogers launch): 🔹77% are interested in satellite messaging 🔹11% would pay for messaging or voice 🔹31% would pay for fast satellite mobile internet These are really early findings - fieldwork is ongoing. But we’re excited to explore: 🔍 How much more are consumers willing to pay? 📍 Who’s willing to pay - Rogers customers? Rural users? High spenders? 🔁 What’s the churn impact likely to be? If you are interested in hearing about the full results when they’re ready then drop a comment or DM. We’d love to share more! #SatelliteConnectivity #DirectToCell #TelecomInnovation #RogersSatellite #LEOSatellites #MobileTrends #ConsumerInsights #TechResearch #CanadaTech #SpaceX #LynkGlobal #5G #ConnectivityEverywhere #TelecomStrategy #DigitalInclusion  Analysys Mason

Our latest Platform Messaging Trends report is out, marking a tipping point in #platform messaging. Here are some key takeaways:   ➡️Rapid adoption of #RCS: we've seen a remarkable 6x increase in RCS traffic, driven by widespread platform adoption. This growth is poised to continue as more carriers support RCS across diverse regions, with significant momentum in the US.   ➡️Empowered by #AI: Artificial intelligence is now powering intelligent, goal-oriented conversations that elevate customer experiences, reduce response times, and drive conversions like never before.   ➡️Video calling for enhanced communication: especially in industries like finance and retail, #video calls are becoming indispensable, providing emotional depth and accessibility. When integrated with multi-channel strategies using SMS, WhatsApp, #voice, and RCS, these platforms enable seamless, personalized customer journeys globally.   Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e56pNWdE

Telecom Sector Update: October 2025 - Rapid Transformation: The global telecom industry is experiencing a dynamic shift, with AI, automation, and cloud-native networks driving innovation and operational efficiency. The move to 5G and even early steps towards 6G are enabling new business models, especially with private networks for enterprises and advanced IoT deployments. - Market Headlines: Telecom companies worldwide are reporting revenue growth (4.3% to $1.14 trillion globally), with India standing out for network expansion and rural connectivity efforts. Notably, India has reached 75% of its "100% telecom saturation" mission, consolidating leadership through massive investments in infrastructure. - Financial Trends: Operators are under pressure to raise mobile tariffs as investment in network technology outpaces revenue in highly competitive markets. Yet, telecom stocks remain attractive due to their stable, recurring income bolstered by fiber and 5G rollouts. - Leading Indicators:     - Subscriber Base: India remains the world's second-largest telecom market with over 1.2 billion subscribers, and nearly 996 million broadband users as of September 2025.   - Data Trends: Monthly data usage per user leads globally, powered by surging demands for video, gaming, AR/VR, and AI-driven services.   - Network Expansion: Accelerated rollout of 4G densification, fiberization for 5G backhaul, and new broadband growth in tier-2/3 towns are significant.   - Policy Developments: New cybersecurity rules, spectrum auctions, and Digital India policy pushes are shaping the regulatory landscape. - Tech and Business Evolution:     - AI Adoption: Over half of telecom companies have implemented AI at scale, with another 37% actively scaling up. Generative AI is cited as a long-term growth engine by 65% of Indian CXOs.   - Cloud and Edge: Cloud-native networks are the new normal, boosting agility, service assurance, and digital transformation for enterprise customers.   - Sustainability: Green networks and sustainable business practices are coming to the forefront, as the sector aligns with global environmental goals. - Risks & Outlook: Key risks for 2025 include regulatory shifts, cybersecurity threats, and adapting to new business models and spectrum management. Market analysts expect telecom's robust performance to continue fueling a bull run in Indian equities. Conclusion:   The telecom sector is at a crossroads—technology, investment, and sustainability are shaping its future. Markets like India, Turkey, Europe, and North America stand out for innovation and growth. Forward-looking indicators such as rural adoption, ARPU increases, swift 5G rollout, fiber penetration, and strategic AI deployment will point the way ahead. #TelecomTrends #5G #6G #AIinTelecom #DigitalIndia #TelecomNews #IndustryInsights #Connectivity #NetworkInnovation

The brands scaling fastest are treating SMS like a conversation, not a broadcast. Companies that grew their customer base by 300% or more last year had one thing in common. They stopped using SMS to push information and started using it to pull insights. Their messages adapt, learn, and respond like a human team member. SMS is transforming from simple text delivery into something far more sophisticated. The old approach was blasting generic messages, hoping for responses. Now? Messages that actually understand customer behavior. Take order confirmations. Traditional SMS tells you "Your order shipped." Smart SMS asks: "Your order shipped to the office again... want us to remember this preference for future orders?" Same message. Different intelligence level. AI adds layers of understanding that make each interaction more valuable. Messages reference previous conversations. Timing adapts to when customers actually respond. Content changes based on where someone is in their journey. The technology handles the learning while SMS handles what it does best: reliable delivery. But smart messaging still needs human oversight for complex situations. We're building systems that know when to escalate, when to respond automatically. Communication that feels personal at scale. The companies growing fastest? They use AI to enhance human capability rather than replace it. This balance creates customer experiences that actually drive growth. What are you seeing in your customer communications? Like and share if you're building messaging that learns from every interaction.