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Fueling Telecom’s Success with Private Wireless Networks (Trends, Opportunities, & Challenges in 2023)

Private networks continue to grow in adoption and popularity around the globe. In fact, the research firm Analysys Mason has predicted that the number of private wireless networks, including 5G and LTE, will grow to over 20,000 by 2026. They also expect that enterprises will spend around $5 billion on these networks.

While stressing the reasons for this growth, Ashutosh Agrawal, CMD at Globe Teleservices, explains that much of the “impetus seems to be coming from expectations of the imminent arrival of 5G.” He further adds that “there are also many application scenarios opening up across smart manufacturing, smart cities, automated supply chains, and so on.” Since private wireless networks can provide the requisite low latency, high speed, and high availability to accommodate such applications, they’re gaining utter prominence.

So, the question transpires – What opportunity do private wireless networks offer to telecom companies, and what challenges must they overcome? Let’s discuss.

Private Wireless Networks – Latest trends in 2023

In 2022, telecom operators added around 455 million 5G connections. Globally, wireless 5G connections grew by 76% in 2022 to reach 1.05 billion.

There’s no doubt that the spread of 5G technology has been the driving force for private wireless networks. Additionally, enterprises are now relying more on advanced data analytics, which requires a robust wireless network to handle the massive volumes of data.

Considering all these facets, here are some trends to look forward to:

The telecom industry isn’t a lot different when it comes to the need to deliver excellent CX. A study revealed that 70% of customers consider customer experience as a pivotal factor in choosing a telecoms provider. This emphasizes the telecom sector’s urgent need to prioritize investments in customer experience and put it at the center of the business strategy.

To embrace the future, telcos must undertake comprehensive transformations that place customers at the core of their operations.

The migration of private networks from 4G to 5G bandwidth
The adoption of full production deployment for both 4G/LTE and 5G applications and infrastructure
The growth of private networks for public venues, including hotels, airports, and stadiums
The integration or convergence of private 4G/5G networks with Wi-Fi-driven enterprises

Private Wireless Networks – How Telecom Operators Can Leverage the Opportunity

Ashutosh states that telecom companies have the “opportunity to monetize their infrastructure while building deeper engagements with super-user enterprises.” For instance, private wireless networks can bring the next-level connectivity for challenging industrial sites. Industrial firms can harness the power of technological interventions like digital twins, robotics, artificial intelligence, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

In particular, the fast-growing IIoT ecosystem on private wireless networks is creating new opportunities for communication service providers (CSPs) and utility companies. For example, connected smart grids on 4G- and 5G-enabled networks can deliver consistent service to millions of customers.

That said, here are some of the possible use cases or opportunities for telecom companies:

Manufacturing: Private wireless networks can help create smart factories where real-time data insights can drive reliability and efficiency.
Education: These networks can enable students and teachers to interact remotely from a “virtual” classroom.
Supply Chain: 5G-based private wireless network, along with IoT technology, can automate the factory, warehouse, and transportation environment.
Smart City: A private wireless network in smart cities offers multiple benefits over public networks, including better security, flexibility, and infrastructure control.

A future-ready private wireless network requires enterprises to connect every device, sensor, and user. With complete data consolidation, private networks can augment the business value of data through analytics.

Challenges in Private Wireless Networks

Despite the benefits and opportunities, private wireless networks have their share of implementation challenges. Ashutosh outlines that telecom operators need to develop capabilities for “more flexible infrastructure and management.” Additionally, they need technical skills in:

Managing Agile deployments
Network integration
Delivering effective customer support
Managing and monitoring private networks

As wireless connectivity continues to grow, enterprise users expect it to be always up and running. The reality is much different. Wireless networks need to function optimally in facilities with high disturbance – for example, factories and mining sites. Unreliable connections can severely disrupt business operations, causing productivity-related issues.

Other challenges associated with a private wireless network include extreme weather conditions and bandwidth overload. Companies also face the challenge of providing fast and consistent network coverage over large areas, requiring a greater number of Wi-Fi access points.

High costs are also a significant challenge for enterprises implementing a private 5G network. These networks incur a substantial upfront cost for the infrastructure, maintenance, and operations. Enterprises need to invest in radio equipment, network accessories, and the backend infrastructure. Due to the high costs, private networks are out of the reach of smaller enterprises.

Another significant obstacle is to integrate the private network with the existing infrastructure and legacy systems. This means integrating the network with the existing applications, databases, and systems. Private 5G networks must also integrate with public networks, IoT devices, and Wi-Fi connections.

The Significant Role of Data Analytics in Private Wireless Networks

Data analytics is integral to the private wireless network space. This is understandable since telecom providers constantly need to improve their service delivery and infrastructure management capabilities.

Private wireless networks depend on data analytics to collect data from various network connections.

The analytics capabilities provide valuable insights into network operations and are useful across use cases, including the following:

Computing and predicting network load levels
Predicting the service experience for an application or user group
Predicting network load analytics for a specific network function
Measuring congestion information for a specific location

The data analytics function works in favor of telecom companies, as they leverage massive market opportunities associated with private wireless networks.

Cash in on these business opportunities with Globe Teleservices. We enable telecom service providers to manage their deployments and integrations. Want to know more? Get in touch with us today!

A New Innovation for Improving Security

The mobile phone or smartphone is at the heart of the digital economy, and understandably so. In the age of digital transformation, mobile devices are elevating the convenience associated with real-time communication, online shopping, and digital banking.

As mobile-based services continue to rise, so does the need for identity-based security. According to a Javelin Strategy report, identity-related frauds cost companies $52 billion and impacted over 42 million citizens in 2022 in the US alone. Experian’s Global Identity & Fraud Report shows how the APAC markets are also troubled with identity fraud, with one in four consumers falling prey to the same.

Telecom operators do not simply approach mobile identity as the means to sign in and perform authentic transactions. Mobile identity is also the key to preventing identity fraud and validating user actions. Hence, in recent years, mobile identity solutions have been gaining more adoption in the telecom sector.

Overall, the global market for digital identity solutions is projected to grow to $70.8 billion by the year 2030. According to >Juniper Research, mobile identity solutions will be the source of identification for over 3 billion mobile users by 2024.

But what are mobile identity solutions, and how can they improve security? Let’s discuss.

What are Mobile Identity Solutions?

Mobile identity solutions are online verification tools that enable real-time user identification and verification. With their secure authentication layer, these solutions can secure all types of digital transactions happening on user-owned mobile phones. Additionally, mobile identity solutions can easily integrate with other mobile apps through APIs.

How do mobile identity solutions work? Through access to user data collected by the telecom operators.

This includes customer data such as:

Mobile number
First and last name
Registered address
Device location and type

Depending on the provider, mobile identity solutions provide a host of features, including:

Federated identity or a single sign-on service that uses the same digital identity across multiple systems and devices.
Multi-factor authentication or additional security layers for users’ access to confidential data and services on mobile phones.
Digital signatures for using the same identity across a range of services.
Service portals through which brands can send SMS to mobile users highlighting their products or service.

Next, let’s discuss the benefits of mobile identity solutions.

Benefits of Mobile Identity Solutions

With the increase in online fraud, telecom companies realise the importance of mobile identity solutions in user authentication. Here are some of the security-related benefits of using a mobile identity solution:

1. Authentic Transactions

In today’s digital economy, the mobile phone is driving both economic and social transformation. As more consumers switch to online transactions, companies need to provide them with a safe and authentic way to perform these transactions. Mobile identity solutions provide this level of security – along with the convenience of easy user validation and authentication.

2. Prevention of Digital Fraud

As more mobile data gets transmitted on the web, there are higher chances of data leakage or “bad” actors intercepting the data. In most online frauds, hackers are interested in stealing users’ information, like their credit card numbers, social security numbers, or even their medical information. Identity solutions provide users with guidelines on digital privacy.

3. Improves Brand Trust

With in-built call portals, mobile identity solutions enable companies to build brand trust among customers. Every call is now identifiable with the brand name, social media handle, and company logo. Besides improving brand recall, mobile identity helps customers identify unknown numbers or those without any digital identity.

4. Data Protection with Digital Identity Wallets

Digital identity wallets provide a safe and convenient tool for mobile users. They can use wallets to verify their identity, perform authorised transactions, and electronically sign documents. Mobile identity wallets also protect confidential information using secure protocols like two-factor authentication and one-time passwords.

5. Instant User Validation

Mobile identity solutions can quickly validate users on their registered mobile phones. They can streamline sign-up processes and user logins without any interruption. By authenticating online transactions, they can shorten the purchase cycle, thus improving brand trust and loyalty. Additionally, they can reduce customer churn by seamlessly integrating with third-party customer solutions.

Summing Up

In summary, mobile identity solutions provide a safe and convenient solution to authenticate and validate mobile phone users. In the telecom sector, mobile-based identity is quickly replacing traditional forms of paper-based identification methods. Identity solutions can counter the challenges of online fraud, identity theft, and data breaches.

With its innovative solutions and technology expertise, Globe Teleservices has served as a reliable partner for global telecom companies. Our tech-driven business solutions can meet their current and future business requirements. We offer a host of technology-related services in mobility solutions, cloud computing, international messaging, and managed services.

Looking for a reliable technology partner for your telecom solutions? Get in touch with us today.

A Modern Vision of an Enterprise Communication System on the Cloud

Over the years, enterprise communication tools have constantly evolved in both form and technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations quickly embraced the cloud platform for their communication and collaboration needs. In fact, in the year 2020, 61% of businesses migrated to the cloud and have since not looked back.

As it stands, the global market for cloud communication tools will grow to $22.4 billion by 2028, up from $4.63 billion in 2021.

But what’s driving the growing adoption of cloud communication today?

Notably, after reaching 1 billion subscriptions in 2022, 5G technology is expected to boost cloud communication. Also, Gartner predicts that AI-powered chatbots will emerge as the primary channel for customer service by 2027.

At the same time, it’s noteworthy that organizations face various challenges with their existing communication infrastructure. Let’s discuss them and outline the benefits of an enterprise communication system on the cloud.

Current Challenges in Enterprise Communication

Effective enterprise communication can either make or break the business. It can improve work-related productivity among employees, increasing efficiency and profitability.

Here are some existing challenges that are currently hindering enterprise communication:

1. Non-Standardised Communication Strategy

Companies without a standardized communication strategy are unable to address questions such as:

How should communication flow between employees at the same level?
How should company updates be delivered to employees – internal calls or official emails?

Large enterprises require a strategic approach to communication between the leadership team and employees.

2. Outdated Technology

Businesses often adapt slowly to the latest technologies in their communication strategy. This, again, poses numerous challenges, such as low employee engagement and inefficient sharing of real-time business information.

As enterprises switch to the remote working model, they cannot sustain their business using outdated communication tools and technologies. For instance, companies use email tools as the primary mode of enterprise communication. While they work great for external customer communication, they’re not so effective for internal communication.

3. Overload of Information

Information overload is among the leading challenges facing enterprise communication. To improve employee engagement, organisations must regularly inform their workforce about important business decisions and policies. However, this can also lead to unnecessary information overload in the form of unread emails and information that is not relevant to their work.

Additionally, constant team meetings or emails can impact the workforce’s time and productivity.

4. Organisational Silos

Organisational silos (or poor cross-functional collaboration) are another communication-related challenge for most enterprises. Effectively, this means organisations have multiple functions that fail to share information with other departments. Lack of cross-functional communication can ultimately lead to customer complaints and loss of revenue.

How does cloud communication address these challenges? Let’s discuss.

Benefits of Cloud Communication Systems

A cloud-based communication system is the best solution for enterprises looking for business agility and cost-effective communication with customers and employees.

Here are some of the cloud communication capabilities that can benefit enterprises of all sizes:

1. Designed for Remote Working

The future of the workplace is no longer restrained to any location. For organizations adopting the “work-from-home” model, work doesn’t take place within any office or cubicle. With cloud communication tools like internet phones, instant chats, and video conferencing, the geographical location of users does not matter anymore. For example, a cloud-powered VoIP system can facilitate communication with its plugin functionality.

2. Centralised Communication System

Organizations waste both time and productivity working with disparate communication tools that are not easy to learn. On cloud platforms, organizations can build a single centralized system that can reduce wasted time and efficiency. Safe to say, employees have a streamlined experience with a single communication platform, which can also boost their engagement and productivity.

3. Unified Communication Across Platforms

Enterprise-level companies need to communicate using more than voice. For example, communication platforms can include video-calling, voice connectivity, and text messaging. Cloud communication enables unified communication by integrating all these capabilities as a single service.

4. Streamlined Communication Between Departments

Using cloud-based tools, organizations can now streamline collaboration between departments or business functions. This effectively eliminates silos and encourages information sharing. For example, the cloud-powered UCaaS application serves all communication needs by tracking conversations and collaboration among bigger teams.

The Way Forward with Cloud Connect

Effective communication is the cornerstone of realising business success in any industry domain. To this effect, outdated communication tools are among the leading challenges facing business enterprises.

As a telecom solution provider, Globe Teleservices (or GTS) has developed Cloud Connect — a smart communication tool for enterprise customers. With this solution, organizations can set up a “virtual” office space in any remote location across the globe. Some of our cloud-powered products include local number service, mobile-based local number service, and unified communication.

Looking to implement the next-generation enterprise communication system on the cloud? Get in touch with our experts today!

The various aspects a call anti-fraud solution must cover

Security breaches and fraud are not new in the telecom industry. As technology gets sophisticated, hackers and fraudsters too get smarter. They are on the constant lookout for vulnerabilities and are relentless in testing firewalls for cracks and weaknesses. Scammers and fraudsters attack, take their profits, and leave before they can be stopped.

In 2021, total global telecom revenues stood at approximately USD 1.8 Trillion. But the amount of telecom revenue loss due to fraud stood at $39.89 Billion. Fraud losses increased by 28% or approximately USD 11.6 Billion between 2019 and 2021.

Voice fraud is one of the top inter-carrier fraud cases. Voice fraud burdens subscribers with huge bills and affects MNOs and their residential and commercial subscribers. Some of the common types of voice fraud are IRSF (International Revenue Share Fraud), False Answer Supervision (FAS), Number Hijacking, Interconnect bypass, and Roaming Fraud. Call Forwarding Fraud, Wangiri fraud (a Japanese term for one (ring) and cut), SIM Box fraud, and PBX hacking are some of the other kinds of voice fraud that are making the chamber of horrors for telecom operators.

IRSF (International Revenue Share Fraud)

IRSF fraud assumes a backdoor revenue-sharing agreement between an IPRS or a communications provider. The fraudster manipulates the telephone service and receives compensation for the traffic. IRSF fraud generates anything between $4 and $6.1 billion in damages.

Standard monitoring solutions fail to identify this kind of fraud easily as it is very hard to sift through large volumes of daily traffic to identify anomalies.

False Answer Supervision (FAS)

False Answer Supervision (FAS) can be of two types. The first kind is the Early Answer fraud where a call connection takes place before the subscriber answers the phone. The second kind is the Late Disconnect fraud where the call remains active and the billing clocks even after the subscriber hangs up.

Number hijacking is also another kind of FAS fraud. Here the fraudulent operator keeps the customer waiting for the connections for as long as possible or until the maximum call timer runs out.

Interconnect bypass or SIM Boxing

Interconnect bypass fraud allows fraudulent operators to profit from the spread between low retail prices for on-net and off-net calls and higher international interconnect rates. This fraud enables the unauthorized insertion of traffic onto another carrier’s network. It is also called SIM Boxing.

The fraudulent party replaces the expensive international interconnect with a cheaper, practically free, routing channel and pinches the difference.

Wangari Fraud

Wangari fraud is a call-back scam. Wangari is a Japanese term that means one ring and cut. The fraudsters give a missed call to unsuspecting subscribers to call back to fraudulent premium numbers. CSPs incur direct and indirect losses because of Wangari fraud.

However, the lack of timely threat intelligence and the lack of a platform to exchange data in real-time impede operator capabilities to identify Wangari Fraud proactively.

PBX hacking

PBX and VoIP hacking is when fraudsters hack into telecom networks and pump up significant traffic levels for an IPRS. PBX hacking is a common and well-known form of telecom fraud and can lead to enormous revenue losses. According to the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA), in 2019 PBX hacking was the number 1 telecom fraud method, causing a global fraud loss of $3.64 billion.

CDR-based anti-fraud systems cannot break active calls and hence are not well-suited to prevent PBX hacking. They also perform poorly with traffic disguised with statistical patterns. PBX attacks can last for hours and go undetected in the absence of the right anti-fraud systems.

Grey Calls

Grey routes have been giving telecom operators sleepless nights for decades. Grey calling routes bypass licensed carriers by terminating international calls onto domestic telecom networks using unlicensed and illegal telecom setups.

The illegal operators host their equipment at places where their calls can reach multiple cell sites for the calls to get widely dispersed. They also employ multiple SIM boxes, rotate SIM cards, manipulate calling patterns, etc. to outfox traditional fraud detection systems.

SIM Box fraud is illegal since the operators running these setups do not have the required government licenses. These networks not only lead to huge revenue losses but can also impact national security because these routes can be easily exploited by terrorists and anti-national elements.

The solution

Traditional fraud detection systems often do not provide the depth of scanning needed to combat the growing sophistication of telecom hackers and fraudulent agents. Telcos now need to be able to proactively prevent potential fraud by developing their capability to identify suspicious inbound and outbound traffic streams based on behavioural patterns and anomalous traffic.

Fraud detection systems that use technologies such as AI and ML make the telecom security perimeter more airtight. AI-ML-powered detection systems help detect fraud calls in real-time based on various parameters.

Parameters such as behavioural analysis (from a single Calling Line Identification), call volume, the time gap between two calls, number length, adjacent number checking, call distribution working and after working hours, and the number of unique destination numbers in a given period and consecutive attempt gap of a failed call attempt are some such areas to configure.

The right anti-fraud solution leverages machine learning algorithms for faster and proactive anomaly detection and navigating challenges like Interconnect bypass or SIM Boxing.

These solutions protect the subscribers from fraud, quality fluctuation, and surprise bills and can be fully configurable to meet specific business needs. AI and Machine Learning algorithms make proactive and continuous scanning of traffic routes possible and easily point to anomalous traffic.

In Conclusion

Voice fraud has been and shall continue to remain a lucrative criminal activity. As technologies advance, so does hacker and fraudster sophistication. A comprehensive anti-fraud detection system thus emerges as a critical investment to secure networks and revenue. By strengthening the security perimeter and establishing powerful firewalls driven by AI and ML, telecom providers can minimize fraud risks and prevent revenue and reputation leaks. Talk to us to see how to win against the fraudsters.

The Coming Roller Coaster Ride for Private Networks

The chorus of industry voices is now drawing our attention to the rise of private networks. As the world becomes increasingly smaller owing to rising connectivity, private networks offer the opportunity to further shrink the world of business while ensuring elevated interactions and seamless communication.

Today, high-speed, ultra-reliable, low-latency, high-density, power-efficient, wireless connectivity has become essential for enterprises. As such it hardly comes as a surprise to see enterprises looking for solutions that help them manage their sprawling wireless LAN ecosystems.

Data has also become an essential commodity in the wake of a growing appetite for 5G and WAN connections. Safeguarding data also now emerges as a top priority.

Private networks are becoming uniquely positioned to offer a solution to these challenges. They promise enterprises the capability to keep their data protected while providing the capacity and superior connectivity needed to realize the advantages of technology applications such as M2M and IoT.

What are private networks?

A private network is a telecommunication network that is built and operated by a telecommunication provider and is built specifically for an individual enterprise. These networks are usually deployed on a single site and extended across the length and breadth of the enterprise. Private LTE/5G networks can also help address wide-area network requirements, such as a utility’s need to monitor a transmission network.

While a private network needs similar elements as a public network, these networks are different from public mobile networks in some specific ways. That said, they can capably manage and provide support to the wide-area network requirements of the enterprise while supporting tools acquired from the consumer smartphone market.

The private networks, however, need spectrum. The spectrum can be leased from a carrier or another spectrum owner. These networks also need a virtualized core, be it as proprietary equipment from a vendor or disaggregated hardware and software from one or more different vendors. The core can also be commodity hardware that runs open-source software.

Apart from containing the database of subscribers and SIM management, the core ensures complete control over how and which users connect and their usage parameters. The other functions of the core include traffic shaping, billing and data plan rules, quality of service rules, and network monitoring-related parameters.

Private networks improve speed, latency, privacy, and security for enterprise network operations. This is so because the network traffic stays bounded “on-premise” and does not need to be sent back and forth to a core network in a distant location.

With the world moving towards becoming even more connected than it is today, the growing value of data and increasing data needs of technologies such as IoT, leveraging private networks seems like an attractive next step for enterprises. For telecom providers, this spells tremendous opportunity. They stand to gain as enterprises lean towards high-performing and reliable wireless networking solutions to drive business outcomes.

New factors contributing to the continuing rise of private networks

The role of private networks in enterprise operations is well understood. As we have seen, the use-cases are many and the benefits clear. The interesting thing now is the many new application scenarios, use-cases, and prospective user segments that are emerging to further drive up the buzz around private networks.

The conversation around digital transformation has become increasingly louder. This has changed how data is viewed, stored, collected, and analysed. This is compelling regulators to contemplate and help create an environment that enables responsible usage of data and other public resources in enterprise digital transformation paradigms. Given this, regulators across the globe have to look at models to drive spectrum licensing by taking inspiration from the existing licensing models across Germany, the UK, or the US (shared licensing) model.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic also cannot be ignored in contributing to the rising demand in private networks. Schools, districts, municipalities, and other segments that do not fall under the addressable market associated with private networks need digital capabilities. As such they are now looking at deploying private LTE networks to add and leverage digital capabilities that will increase their reach and improve accessibility.

For telecom providers, the focus, so far, has been towards enabling enterprise mobility and WAN networks. However, with telecommunications becoming the lifeblood of the modern enterprise, telecom providers now have ample opportunity to increase their service portfolio and help enterprises embrace digital transformation and keep pace with technological transformations.

However, before we realize the true potential of private networks, telecom providers will have to address the existing network slicing challenges. Network slicing is one of the most compelling capabilities promised by 5G. Telcos will have to identify how to apply different slices to different enterprises connecting to their core network while ensuring that the same is not implemented among different application types and device groups within the same enterprise. As such telcos will now have to understand enterprise IT needs better and build compelling programs to address the enterprises’ communication needs.

Enabling technology adoption, driving digital transformation, and cloud-enabled/driven everything is table stakes now for enterprises. For telecom providers, this spells tremendous opportunity. Talk to us to understand more about the possibilities and challenges of adopting such next-gen technologies.

5 Telecom Technology Trends To Keep An Eye On For 2021

The telecom industry has been at the crux of the global pivot to remote operations. Lacking robust and resilient connectivity, most of the world’s industries would have run aground during the pandemic!

Of course, telecom has always been a dynamic industry and sensitive to technological developments. So, what can the telecom industry look forward to in 2021?

From 5G to cybersecurity, here are five trends around telecom technologies to consider in 2021.

#1. 5G and IoT

5G and the Internet of Things are set to create a much bigger and broader backdrop for the telecom industry’s enterprise offerings.

2021 and beyond, 5G will be much more than high-speed downloads. Its combination of high-bandwidth connectivity, low latency, and universal coverage will facilitate smart vehicles and transport infrastructures like connected cars. 5G will allow telcos to create differentiated value-added offerings by embedding connectivity with products and services.

With 5G, telcos are all set to emerge as connected industry orchestrators. This implies trading fully connected industry solutions, embracing sensors, connecting value chains, cloud connectivity, and device as a service ecosystem. Telcos have changed the world around us by connecting phones, tablets, and other mobile devices, but connecting and managing increasing numbers of cars, meters, sensors, and consumer electronics lucratively will demand innovative business models.

Presently, most telco’s IoT revenues are derived from connectivity, but future revenue will also come from service enablement platforms, apps, and services. Telcos that can build and manage an ecosystem of service partners, filter data from their IoT platforms, and convert bulk data into smart data will build incremental revenue based on the data’s value rather than their ability to transport it.

#2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Advanced Automation

Artificial intelligence is likely to impact the telecommunications landscape as it will all other sectors. As the telecom industry multiplies its networks faster, service configuration, customer support, and billing processes become increasingly complex. In the face of customer demands for superior quality services, telcos are seeking useful innovations and applications to cater to their customers with delightful customer experience and service.

The chief driver for AI growth in the telecom industry is the rising demand for autonomously driven network solutions. With networks expanding rapidly, they become increasingly complex and challenging to manage. AI could profoundly impact several areas – most critical being traffic classification to reduce network congestions, enhancing network quality, anomaly detection and prediction in networks, resource utilization, network optimizations, and network orchestration. Furthermore, AI will also help to improve customer experience with virtual assistants and bots.

With advanced automation, telcos can automate back-end activities like data entry, reconciliation, or validation, streamline customer support, and carry out cross-sell and up-sell via AI-powered assisted calls. Advanced automation will help telcos lower costs, improve accuracy, enhance efficiency, and deliver better customer experiences.

#3. Blockchain

Driven by stories around BitCoin, Blockchain has captured the popular imagination. The telecom industry is looking at Blockchain too. In this context, 5G could become a powerful enabler for a blockchain-led wave of telecom disruption empowering many cross-industry applications.

Blockchain is could help streamline processes, deliver cost savings, provide new revenue streams, enhance collaborations, and drive real-time transparency. Blockchain can help telcos in 2021 and beyond in areas like:

Roaming and settlements frauds, human errors, absence of transparency can be eradicated using smart contracts on Blockchain
Identity management can be fetched from multiple 3rd party agents and employed safely with Blockchain, passing greater control to individuals
SLA monitoring can be made tighter with Blockchain’s smart contracts, which builds ‘one version of the truth.’
Prevention of phone theft by storing unique device or SIM data on Blockchain which can potentially help find devices instantly
Mobile number portability can also be accelerated with Blockchain wherein telcos can review and action requests easier

#4. Edge Computing

Edge computing, commonly known as Mobile Edge Computing, or MEC, is set to radically reshape telecom networks, with a little help from its allies 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT). A study revealed that edge computing would power roughly $7 billion in revenue by 2025. Whereas as much as two-thirds of this revenue will accrue to cloud players, telcos, neutral hosts, and enterprises will play critical roles in hosting sites and facilitating connectivity.

Until now, edge computing was only building up use-cases. In 2021 and beyond, novel business models will come up that power the deployment of the edge in production. Organizations will find new ways to leverage the enhanced computing power and storage available closer to where the data is being generated and will appreciate the network saving achieved by not having to transmit data continuously between the cloud and the devices on the frontlines.

#5. Cybersecurity

Today, the telecom industry has become an enormous data repository with access to uber-sensitive customer data. They are also the platforms upon which digital lives revolve so that any service outage or loss of data can trigger significant inconvenience for the end-users and a large-scale disruption of business operations across industries. These aspects make telcos lucrative targets for cybercriminals looking to tamper with data and networks at scale.

With strict policies like EU-GDPR now in action, telcos – whether in India or abroad – can’t afford to regard cybersecurity as anything less than a critical function. With data security becoming a vital business mandate, a large-scale shift within the telecom industry is predicted towards a security-led method.

In the coming years, we will witness players prop up their defenses against direct threats, like distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, along with indirect vulnerabilities like data breaches and internal leaks. The IT frameworks facilitating telecom networks will become more robust. There is also the probability of telcos pushing cybersecurity solutions as part of their service offerings to assure better threat defense for their consumers.

Looking Beyond the Present Landscape

After undergoing numerous years of sluggish economic growth, the telecom industry, as we know it today, is enthused by these tech trends and the opportunities presented by digitization. To thrive in the long run, telcos need to drive customer value while reducing costs and differentiating themselves. It is irrefutable that the success or failure of telcos relies on their adoption of technology. In 2021, telcos can attain a competitive edge, flexibility, agility, and capacity to gain more opportunities with technology.

What Are The “Must-Have” Features Of A Cutting-Edge A2P SMS Platform?

A quick scroll through the multiple SMS alerts on your mobile phone will show you just how much businesses have been using SMS to reach out to their customers. Whether it is sending promotional messages, transaction alerts, OTPs for security, or personalized messages like a birthday discount on products, businesses have been using SMS to connect with the customers. This type of SMS is called Application to Person (A2P) messaging and it has become a go-to tool for businesses.

Unlike social media channels, paid ads, or emails, A2P messages are more personalized and engaging as they communicate directly to the customer. 98%of SMS messages are opened as compared to 20% of emails. The click-through rates are 19% as compared to 2% for emails’. Businesses have been constantly increasing their adoption of A2P SMS. No wonder the A2P SMS market is touted to be a $77.1 billion market by 2026.

Every business is looking for a cutting-edge A2P SMS platform that can help them reach out to their customers better and improve their conversions.

However, to be considered effective, the A2P SMS platform must possess the following features.

Must-Have Features A Cutting-Edge A2P SMS Platform Must Possess

Rich communication services (RCS)

Conventional SMS’ are plain texts. However, instant messaging platforms paved the way for media-rich communication. Businesses realized that using media-rich messages can help them capture the customers’ attention and engage them. They can send website links, QR codes, images, ticket or boarding passes, product carousels, etc., through A2P SMS. This helps businesses to build long-term customer engagement and create a unique identity of their brand. RCS support is one of the first things that businesses must look for in an A2P SMS platform. The platform must support all types of rich communication. The platform should allow businesses to share geo-targeted texts, photos, and video notifications to customers. The platform should also allow businesses to have a two-way interaction with their customers through interactive functionalities such as chatbots, quizzes, and polls. The objective is to help businesses build an effective and direct communication channel with their customers.

API connectivity

An A2P SMS API enables businesses to connect to a reliable SMS gateway so that they can send bulk promotional and transactional messages to their customers around the world securely. These messages are sent and received through applications, webs, or systems. Businesses prefer API connect as it helps automate the messaging process. So, businesses don’t have to send messages manually to every platform. They can automate this task so that thousands of messages are automatically sent within seconds. This is especially useful when businesses do SMS campaigns. API connect also offers integration with CRM, so businesses can receive and maintain customer data efficiently. They can produce regular reports on how each integrated platform has generated traffic or met business goals. This enables the business to gauge each platform’s effectiveness and create data-centric campaigns. The flexibility and effectiveness make API connect a must-have feature in an A2P SMS platform. Businesses prefer it as it eliminates hard work and enables them to manage the campaigns efficiently.

Uses direct routes to send messages

Most often, businesses unknowingly send A2P messages through grey routes. So, when a business sends a message to a customer residing in the same country, it bounces across different global carriers and then sent to the recipient. In the process. it tries to hide the source of the message to the mobile networks. The stated aim is that the message is transmitted for a much-reduced cost. The attraction of the low cost encourages the businesses to send more bulk promotional messages. However, grey routes have their limitations. To begin with, it is unethical. It can also expose the recipient of the message to malicious attacks and expose the receiver to unnecessary risk. Secondly, there are no delivery receipts in grey routes, so businesses will have no trace of whether the messages were delivered. Finally, if a host network identifies a grey route, they will shut it down, and all the messages that were intended to be sent to the customer will never get delivered. Although direct routes may be comparatively more expensive, they are ethical, secure, and can quickly transmit a high volume of messages to customers. The A2P SMS platform must offer a direct route to transmit messages. They should be compliant with the wholesale roaming agreement. This will enable the businesses to send messages to their customers knowing that they will get delivered.

A2P SMS termination

A2P SMS termination presents a great opportunity for revenue growth. Businesses normally lose millions due to lost termination fees. It occurs because of the prevalence of grey routes that don’t charge transparently for message transmission or delivery outcomes. The business can be safeguarded by partnering with global OTTs, and A2P aggregators. Businesses can ensure that the SMS termination happens directly with them, so they can earn revenue from it. That’s why the A2P SMS platform must have direct interconnection with carriers and operators worldwide.

Conclusion

As we have understood by now, businesses are keen to use A2P SMS more frequently to communicate with the customers. Hence, it’s essential to keep pace with the changing ecosystem of A2P messaging and include these must-have features in the platform they choose. This will not just help in meeting the business needs, but will also keep them safe.

At Globe Teleservices, we offer international messaging services that provide businesses with a competitive advantage. We offer:

API connect for A2P bulk SMS campaigns
Direct interconnection with 100+ carriers and leading operators in more than 35+ countries for direct SMS termination
Direct routes and high-quality routes to safely send the messages to customers
Flexibility to send rich-media messages to customers

Will mobile security threats grow in 2022 (and can anything be done about that)

Mobile security is on top of everyone’s mind and for good reason – mobile phones are now seamlessly integrated into everyone’s personal or professional lives. Nearly all businesses allow employees to access corporate data from smartphones. This trend has become more prominent during the pandemic and is only expected to increase. Hence the focus on mobile security.

The mobile security market is poised to grow from $3.0 billion in 2019 to $7.2 billion by the end of 2024 driven by the increase in mobile payments and the rising security needs of the enterprise as they enable BYOD programs. The growing reliance on mobiles demands mobile operators to look at the security loopholes and threats that still exist in this ecosystem.

Here is a look at some of the mobile security threats that we are likely to hear more of in 2022

The grey route challenge

Grey routes continue to be a point of attention when it comes to security. One of the most common problems for MNO’s, grey routes can lead to huge losses to the operators. SMS grey routes are expected to lead to revenue leakages amounting to US$37.1 billion between 2020-2024. The total opportunity for A2P SMS stands at $27.48 billion in 2024 based on white route traffic. The revenue leakage to grey routes continues to be exceptionally high with an anticipated annual loss of $7.69 billion.

Next-gen impenetrable, robust, and resilient SMS firewalls will thus become imperative to block grey routes and prevent revenue leakage. Such firewalls also help in blocking illegal SMS traffic by active monitoring of Mobile Originated, Mobile Terminated, and Application Originated SMS and all entry points.

Real-time monitoring, System-level filtering & Intelligent SMS Firewall Rules can help MNO manage the grey route menace, prevent revenue losses, and improve customer faith by assuring their safety.

Network security attacks remain a point of concern

MNO’s will continue to improve network security in 2022 especially as Openness becomes a double edge sword. As technologies such as IoT and AI proliferate and 5G promises to mature, network operators have to protect their current network by improving their security architecture. As connected devices and data exchange promises to only increase, legacy networks may struggle to meet present-day security needs.

MNOs can look at network virtualization to support today’s complex security needs. Network Virtualization enables operators to leverage strategies such as network slicing to separate network resources and guarantee greater security. Since each of the network slices has an individual authentication process detecting changes in behaviour patterns or traffic becomes easier to identify and mitigate proactively.

SIM jacking and SMS phishing remain concerns

Telecom fraud such as SIM jacking and SMS phishing is not uncommon and won’t go away in the coming year as well. If anything, the hackers are only going to get smarter and more sophisticated.

Proactive route testing, home routing, and re-routing help operators analyze the information sent and received between two parties. Any discrepancy could reveal suspect routes which could then receive proactive attention.

Home routing helps the operators curtail faking and SMS spoofing by giving them control over the traffic generated abroad. Re-routing ensures that A2P messages are rerouted across tested routes to senders who do not allow A2P content termination.

Spoofing

SMS spoofing will continue to plague MNOs. SMS spoofing allows the sender to manipulate information. It disguises a user that has roamed into a foreign network and is submitting messages to the home network.

SMS spoofing is quickly evolving and is one of the fastest-growing methods to penetrate mobile operators. This challenge needs to be mitigated fast since mobiles are being used extensively for corporate marketing and branding and mobile advertising. SMS spoofing becomes a threat since it can be achieved easily since almost all phones today have access to and can be accessed from the internet.

Robust SMS firewall solutions with features such as global tile blocking, legal interception, blocking messages based on system-level filtering, intelligent SMS firewall rules, map operation codes, Live GUI and CDR for analysis, etc. can help MNOs tackle the spoofing menace.

Refiling, A-Party Refiling, A-Party Caller Spoofing are also security areas of focus to prevent revenue leakage owing to voice fraud. These are methods through which clearinghouses or transit carriers terminate traffic to an operator, spoof the CLIs (Calling Line Identity) of calls to a network. False answer supervision allows the call to be answered but not reported back to the caller. This drives up the minutes and cost of the call, while the MNOs don’t realize the revenue.

AI-ML-based voice firewalls can prevent these threats and protect operators and enterprises from all kinds of voice fraud from both incoming and outgoing traffic. They can identify suspicious inbound and outbound traffic streams based on behavioral patterns and anomalous traffic. This also protects subscribers from fraud, quality fluctuation, and surprise bills.

Data security

The focus on data security is only going to increase in 2020 especially with the proliferation of financial services into the mobile space. As telecom companies add value-added services and integrate digital payments into the mix of their offerings, elevating data security assumes primary importance.

Enabling e-KYC solutions that are comprehensive and secure and capably create digital identities will improve the verification and authentication processes while delivering a higher degree of security and data privacy. GPS and OCR technologies coupled with AI and Machine Learning can optimize the KYC process and make it more secure and trustworthy.

AI-based identity and document validation and verification coupled with geo-location identification become essential technologies that help MNOs balance regulatory requirements without compromising security and customer experience.

The rise of the mobile as a tool to drive and foster better customer engagement can also be credited to mobiles becoming an extension of our lives and our workplaces. Given this, keeping mobile security top of the mind not only makes sense but becomes essential in the wake of rising cyber threats and attacks.

How Africa’s Telecom Companies Are Ushering in A Revolution

Worldwide, the traditional telecom industry has witnessed traditional revenue streams shrink but as the industry seeks further development and growth it’s turning its attention to Africa.

The mobile revenue in Africa is predicted to grow to $68 billion by 2022. While voice revenues in all likelihood will be flat as cheaper OTT services remain popular among cost-conscious customers, mobile broadband and digital services revenue are all predicted to double over the same period. The pressures on conventional revenue streams have started an industry-wide push for innovations that can utilize the massive infrastructure and data most telcos possess.

In the context of Africa, some new influences are visible and some of the same conditions apply as do in the rest of the world.

Modern customers want greater convenience and enhanced experiences and are open to engaging with their service providers via increasingly complex omnichannel initiatives. ‘Sculpting customer experiences’ is the mantra today. Providing connectivity and digital access remains the essential part of the telcos’ offering, but there’s so much more for them to do now and plan for in the years to come. As technology evolves rapidly, ubiquitous connectivity will become table stakes and the game will be all about what more can telcos offer?

Innovation-fed transformation across the telecoms value chain is driving African telecom operators to plan for these new value propositions. Digital technologies have brought several new aspects to light. The growing ubiquity of smart devices has catalyzed customer demand for new services and increasingly personalized experiences. New entrants intensify competition creating downward pressure on pricing, and regulations are becoming stronger. To maintain a competitive edge and relevance, telcos must look for newer ways to differentiate themselves, get and hold customers, and power top-line growth.

There are four aspects where investment in digital technologies will be particularly valuable.

Networks of tomorrow
New digital offerings
Reimagining customer engagement
Bridging the gap in innovation

For African telecom companies, the ‘new’ journey will be a harmonizing act: they need to safeguard their primary offerings while rotating to the new—identifying, developing, and releasing new digital offerings — to drive revenue growth.

While African telecom companies are looking to contain costs, they are also seeking revenue growth. Utilizing its large customer base, each telecom company has developed diversification plans based on data services, digital services, mobile money services, and Value Added Services (VAS).

Data Services

Mobile handsets are perhaps the leading sources of individual customer data available currently. Telcom companies are at the forefront of data custodianship as subscribers use various data-generating apps and services connected to their mobile devices. These present considerable opportunities for telecom companies to mine enormous amounts of individual customer data, build complex and multidimensional customer profiles, and develop individualized customer offers and experiences to deepen brand affinity and increase wallet share.

Africa’s data revolution is rolling in full swing, and telecom companies, both old and new, embrace a range of strategies – from cheap smartphones to the roll-out of fast speed networks – to maintain and grow their data revenue, while not neglecting voice completely.

The increased affordability of data-enabled devices is driving the data explosion. With the rise in data use, simple voice calling handsets are losing their luster, and several African operators are now selling cheap smartphones via partnerships with Chinese device manufacturers such as Huawei and Tecno.

Also, there is a batch of exclusive LTE entrants arriving in Africa. With no history of offering voice services, these new entrants have bypassed 2G and 3G networks and directly built LTE networks in Africa. For instance, Surfline Communication launched Ghana’s first LTE network in 2014. African governments have been granting data-only licenses, wherein telecom companies can only begin providing voice when they have hit certain penetration levels with data.

Value-Added Services

Telecom companies can decide to own the customer rather than the network. This model places telcos higher up the value chain through a customer-centric lifestyle platform. Use cases like content streaming, banking services, and gaming, can give telecom companies revenues by adding and diversifying the present mobile services–reliant ARPU. Building an ecosystem that caters to end-to-end apps will allow telcos the opportunity to monetize both transaction and subscription fees, besides higher data consumption.
This is great for telecom companies, as they own a ready-made platform for seizing additional customer spending. They can build 360-degree profiles of their customers, that companies can collect, act on, and monetize. Mobile money, is a valuable entry point for telcos to grow, as Safaricom did with M-Pesa.

Mobile Money

Globally, there is no other continent that moves more money on mobile phones than Africa. The continent is presently responsible for an astounding 45.6% of mobile money activity in the world—an estimate of at least $26.8 billion in transaction value in 2018 alone—this number excludes bank-operated solutions.

Africa’s telecom companies are at the forefront of plans to bring banking to millions of Africans, in some cases for the first time, after the coronavirus dramatically accelerated the use of digital financial services.

By offering customers frictionless payment options besides other mobile financial services, telecom companies add considerable value and play a fundamental role in driving change. Technology firms (old and new), retailers, mobility companies – and others – are all looking for ways to incorporate mobile financial services into their business models. The timing is perfect for telecom companies that are looking to capitalize on their reach in remote villages and urban slums to pivot to financial services and banking.

Adapting to New Landscapes

Telcos looking to improve outcomes and eliminate inefficiencies are running a comprehensive analysis of the state of their operations, utilizing a customer-centric lens. Where are their fundamental capabilities most potent? Are they tactically employing resources to support the right competencies? Where are they falling short on delivering an exceptional customer experience? Where must operations be reinforced—and where should they be restructured?

Revolutionary telcos must decide what they are – a utility or a tech innovator? Either choice has extensive tactical implications that will impact everything from leadership down to the frontline operating model. In many cases, it could overturn how these businesses have been run for decades.

Regardless of the approach, African telcos will require to shift their trajectory quickly if they want to stay in the game. By investing in a customer-centric approach, they will be better placed to enhance customer loyalty, reduce churn, increase ARPU, and capture more spending even as their markets mature. But these changes demand time, calculated focus, and investment—all of which will be limited if telcos wait too long to make their play.

Will M2M, Big Data, and AI help create a new world of business messaging?

When it comes to the world of messaging, we might think that the ubiquitous messaging apps have overtaken SMS in the race for adoption. However, while person-to-person SMS messaging is reducing, when it comes to business messaging, A2P messaging, and M2M, SMS is growing. The A2P market, for example, is all set to grow from USD 62.1 billion in 2020 to USD 72.8 billion by 2025.

Telecom operators, however, are under significant pressure to improve business opportunities, increase their customer base, and improve brand recognition and credibility in the face of rising competition from OTT platforms.

Coming to their rescue are M2M (Machine to Machine), Big Data, and AI – transformative technologies that hold the promise to change the world of business messaging.

Conversations regarding messaging and the telecom sector are incomplete without speaking of 5G. In this context, most of the focus on 5G is over super-sized networks and powerful applications. With 5G, telecom operators also can identify ways to leverage the connectivity to drive enriching customer interactions keeping business messaging in the mix for the growing market in M2M communication.

While 5G is still “on the way”, let’s focus on technologies such as M2M, Big Data, and AI in the current ecosystem and evaluate how they can make business messaging more impactful to create customer stickiness. These technologies can also solve some of the challenges of increasing grey route areas and greater security.

Improved delivery success rate

Over the last few years, technologies such as M2M have made the world of text messaging suitable for the business environment. Transformative business applications like Industrial Internet of Things, Smart Manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 were loath to depend on telecom networks. In the initial days, delivery success rates were poor and influenced by the devices. If the device was of a different carrier, then message delivery failure was highly likely. Back then, text messages in such business-critical contexts suffered due to a reputation for uncertainty.

Today, however, M2M communication and robust cellular networks make a successful partnership to drive impactful and timely business messaging. High-quality tier-1 routes can ensure maximum speed and deliverability and also provide the flexibility to schedule bulk message delivery to stay on top of the customer’s mind. Businesses can also make messaging more targeted and timely and make the overall customer experience more seamless and efficient with M2M technology.

Better customer interactions

A continuous focus on improving customer interactions is key to thriving in a challenging global business environment. Organizations have been using A2P messaging to improve better customer engagement. However, given that disruption is a constant, learning to listen closely to what the customer could want or is indicating is a skill that will guarantee customer stickiness.

Customers want intuitive experiences and, in a customer-first economy, developing the capability to identify what the customer wants, both explicitly and implicitly is important. Technologies such as Big Data and AI get to work here and deliver impact in conjunction with M2M to improve customer experiences.

Businesses and operators can offer products and value-added services based on big data analytics-driven by data generated from location tags, credit tags to partners, and interest tags. Enabling differentiated services according to different types of traffic, creating new business opportunities by wholesaling traffic, sponsored services, or premium delivery capably, and service offerings such as smart bundling, location-based packages, etc. become easier, as do the opportunities to drive profitability.
Technologies such as big data and AI also help telcos attract and develop the right partnerships and give them insights into how to capably bridge the gap between the current and expected outcomes by enabling better, more personalized, and contextual interactions.

Improved security

Research shows that between 2020-2024, revenue leakage to grey routes remains unacceptably high, with a cumulative loss of $37.1 billion, or an annual average leakage of $7.69 billion. Identifying next-gen solutions to make routes more secure to prevent revenue leakage becomes essential given the significant impact of grey route areas on telcos.

Integrating traditional messaging firewalls with big data and advanced analytics can capably detect a wider portfolio of fraudulent patterns. With the right insights in place using technologies such as AI, telcos can also reduce the time between fraud detection and blocking rules implementations.

In Conclusion

The disruptive power of M2M, Big Data, and AI have been at work across industries and have been used to drive elevated customer experiences, offer greater personalization, improve security, and enhance decision-making capabilities to drive greater profitability. These technologies now show that they have the power to disrupt and elevate the business messaging landscape. They can enable more targeted, secure, and contextual business messaging that drives better outcomes and positively impacts the bottom line.