Month: October 2022

The Must-Have Features of a Modern SMS Firewall

Across industries, SMS marketing is eventually outpacing several other mediums to become the most trusted customer communication channel worldwide. That’s why enterprises are increasingly relying on SMS firewall solutions to bolster their marketing abilities allowing them to bring in leads through messaging.

However, the dilemma for leaders lies in selecting the right SMS firewall system. Most leaders are unaware of the features they must evaluate before investing in an SMS firewall system.

To make it easier, this article looks at the top 5 features that a modern SMS firewall must guarantee to help enterprises succeed in their SMS-driven customer approaches.

Proactive Security

The number one feature that an SMS firewall must have today is proactive security analysis and threat mitigation in the SMS traffic an organization handles daily. From common spam texts to intelligent text phishing or fraudulent routing, the landscape of threats that today’s businesses face with their SMS ecosystem is enormous. For an SMS firewall system, they must ensure a safe and spam-free environment for both end-users as well as mobile operators.

In the past, the security of SMS firewall systems had to be managed manually, which necessitated the hiring of dedicated security engineers to cater to SMS traffic alone. Today, however, there are AI and ML-powered SMS firewall solutions, like the Armour SMS Firewall, that offer 360-degree network protection for SMS traffic to and from an organization. This helps prevent fraud and stop revenue leakage, ultimately contributing to rising profitability.

Global Connectivity

Modern SMS firewalls must not be restricted in usage support for local markets. Businesses with ambitious expansion plans internationally will find globally supported SMS firewall solutions to be a core asset in their market penetration efforts. SMS is a trusted communication medium for most consumers, offering brands an opportunity to expand into new markets through seamless SMS marketing campaigns.

An SMS firewall provides a critical digital environment and assets to ensure that the end-user gets the right message at the right time — thus, leading to better conversions.

Better A2P Monetization

It is estimated that the global market for A2P messaging will exceed USD 72.8 billion by 2025. Several new internet-driven businesses are increasingly leveraging A2P as an additional or even their primary revenue channel.

An SMS firewall must be able to offer uninterrupted support and adaptability to new business models that leverage the underlying A2P messaging service. From seamless integration with multiple systems involved in completing the revenue cycle to enabling efficient reporting, the areas of interest are immense.

Flexible Rules Engine

Consumers flock to new devices running different operating systems every now and then. It is impossible for businesses to smoothly manage their SMS marketing initiatives that are heavily dependent on end-user device characteristics.

An SMS firewall should work independently and offer flexibility in rule customization, new policy implementation, and device-agnostic SMS traffic management. Avoid delays in software or hardware updates on end-user devices to stay ahead of the competition. Moreover, the SMS firewall must support all standard rules and best practices that have been proven to be effective in SMS-driven marketing worldwide.

Ease of Use

Features offered by a modern SMS firewall become irrelevant if the user isn’t able to leverage it easily to drive campaigns. The usability of the SMS firewall system is a huge factor that should be evaluated before investing.

Since an SMS firewall forms a critical part of marketing, businesses should integrate the SMS firewall system into their strategies. Once done, they can deploy new configurations on the go from easy-to-use dashboards rather than manual and obsolete interfaces.

The Bottom Line

Protecting subscribers and telecom operators from fraud while enabling better revenue potential in existing channels are perhaps the two most important features from the list we have discussed today. Nevertheless, enterprises must strive towards investing in solutions that offer as many of these top five features as possible.

Alternatively, you can check out our Armour SMS Firewall, designed and developed for future-ready SMS-driven customer outreach experiences for businesses in any sector. Talk to us to learn more.

Blockchain – A Solution to Prevent Telecom Fraud

Revenue sharing fraud, PBX hacking, account takeover, bypass fraud, traffic pumping, subscription fraud – the types of fraud affecting the telecom sector are growing in number. In 2021 alone, telcos lost 2.22% or $39.89 billion of their revenue due to fraud.

Imagine having to deal with all of these frauds in addition to installing new equipment, expanding networks, and ensuring consistent service. Truly, running and managing a telecom business is not a walk in the park. But the right technologies in place can surely turn the tables on the fraudsters.

Fraud in Telecom – A Growing Deterrent

Fraud in telecom is probably as old as the industry itself. For many years, operators and providers just accepted the reality, either absorbing the losses caused by fraud or simply passing them on downstream. However, the occurrence and complexity of fraud are escalating day by day.

More than ever, unauthorized people are taking advantage of telecommunications companies using a variety of fraudulent practices conducted via:

  • Interconnect bypass that takes advantage of termination rate complexity to make cheaper phone calls
  • Revenue sharing by misleading users to make calls and pay for premium phone rates
  • Arbitrage by incorrectly routing international long-distance calls through a third country where call costs are cheaper
  • PBX hacking – Allowing impostors to exploit unsecured phone networks and take control of phone lines
  • Subscriptions and online store hacking using stolen IDs or credit card numbers
  • Traffic pumping, where deceitful local exchanges falsely state the number of calls to their networks to benefit from compensation fees
  • Account takeover, where online hackers steal user login credentials to create new accounts
  • SMS phishing to obtain personal information and use it to fake identity or steal money
The Role Blockchain Can Play

As one of the most transformative and widely-discussed technology trends of all time, blockchain carries the potential to completely disrupt the telecom sector. By encrypting data, increasing transparency, and establishing accurate identities, blockchain can boost IoT connectivity, streamline 5G services, and prevent telecom fraud.

As the impact of fraud begins to get out of hand, telecom operators are inclined to face unique fraud challenges – head-on.

Let’s look at the many opportunities blockchain offers for telecom operators looking to combat growing instances of fraud:

Ensure Subscriber Authentication and Tracking

In the telecom industry, there are many ways in which a subscriber’s identity can be compromised. Blockchain technology allows operators to link devices to a subscriber’s identity, carry out regular authentication via public keys, and encrypt digital wallets for safe payments. Such secure authentication helps build a clear picture of stakeholders, ensuring smooth and secure experiences for users.

Thwart Roaming Fraud

Detecting and responding to roaming fraud hasn’t been easy for telecom operators until now. Blockchain technology allows operators to implement a smart roaming agreement with designated nodes to  constantly verify transactions broadcasted on the network. Every time an event is triggered, it verifies the information and accordingly executes the terms of the agreement.

Enable Real-Time Consent Management

Blockchain-enabled RegTech platforms that use DLT technology can enable real-time consent management. It thwarts Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) across messaging networks, defends unsuspecting, and enables operators to efficiently deal with fraudulent calls on the rise.

 Establish Accountability with Regulators

Telecom operators can use blockchain technology to establish much-needed accountability with regulators. Using a unified platform, telecom clients and telemarketers can register all stakeholders and connect with regulators to streamline communication and responsibilities.

Identify Telemarketers

With users inundated with numerous spam calls and messages each day, blockchain can help in the identification of telemarketing calls and get rid of them altogether. It allows telecom operators to verify and shortlist subscribers who have opted for such calls while preventing unauthorized calls.

Efficiently Deal with Stolen Devices

Telecom operators can store unique device or SIM data along with the customer profile in secure ledgers and instantly block stolen devices in the event of a theft. Since a single blockchain network will contain immutable information about all stolen devices, telecom operators around the world will more easily be able to find them.

Summing Up

As the telecom industry grapples with mounting incidents of fraud, blockchain offers the potential to nip fraud in the bud. It provides numerous telecom fraud solutions, including subscriber authentication, roaming fraud prevention, real-time consent management, regulatory accountability, telemarketer identification, and stolen device management.

With fraudsters becoming more and more adept at evading identification, blockchain technology reduces the likelihood and scale of attacks. It helps businesses vet and filter out stolen credentials, secure transactions, and protect business revenue.

At Globe Teleservices and our group company, GTS Tech Labs, we help telecom companies build the blockchain solution they need to keep the business running and the revenue flowing. As an innovative, forward-thinking organization that makes cutting-edge telecommunication products and solutions, we are committed to helping you deal with telecom fraud – without disrupting the customer experience.

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