Security | Globe Teleservice

Messaging – Latest Trends, Influences, And Technologies To Watch

Circa December 1992, a test engineer sent a Christmas greeting SMS to his colleague. That was the first SMS sent to someone ever. Since then, SMS has become one of the most widely used forms of communication. It remains popular and continues to grow despite being there for 30 years and the advent of different messaging apps like WhatsApp. Data Bridge Market Research shows that the SMS market will grow at a CAGR of 21.26% by 2030.

While SMS is widely known for person-to-person interactions, a staggering number of enterprises use application-to-person (A2P) messaging to interact with customers for an array of important applications. They send automated messages from applications to individuals to inform or promote new offers or send transactional messages, they use it to authenticate and onboard new customers and for several other reasons.

In fact, it is so effective that enterprise communication over SMS receives 20x more read rates and 30x more call-to-actions than Emails.

No wonder, the market size of A2P messaging is predicted to become $78.2 billion by 2028.

This popularity has led to enterprises experimenting with new forms of messaging for greater customer engagement, tighter security, and easier operations.

Here are a few trends enterprises must know to unlock the full potential of messaging.

Five Trends Of Messaging Enterprises And Mobile Operators Must Know

Customers “want” messages from enterprises

As customers become wary of the incessant barrage of app notifications, enterprises find SMS becoming even more effective in communicating with customers. They are non-intrusive and have a better response and open rates than emails and other forms of communication. Evidently, customers seem to prefer SMS messages. According to a survey, 42% of customers found messaging to be a non-intrusive form of communication with enterprises. 41% of customers thought it was a great way for enterprises to inform them about new offerings and opportunities.

As more customers and enterprises prefer messaging, businesses will continue to prioritize its use. One trend that’s likely to surge in the next year is enterprises using SMS for better lead generation and conversion.

AI-based SMS is coming

According to an Infosys survey, 78% of customers prefer purchasing from brands with offers targeted to their interests and preferences. It helps in increasing conversions and improving customer loyalty. But typically, enterprises use the spray-and-pray method while sending bulk SMS to customers. Such messages receive sub-optimal responses from customers. To improve open rates and conversions, enterprises will begin to personalize messages. AI-powered SMS can do that.

AI-driven SMS technologies analyze customer data and help enterprises send tailored messages to customers. For example, marketers can analyze a customer’s purchasing history and use AI to send cross-sell or upsell offers over SMS to them. This will enhance content relevance, customer engagement, and response rates.

SMS becomes a prime customer service channel

According to Gartner, 80% of customer service-focused enterprises will abandon native mobile apps in favor of messaging by 2025. No doubt, driven by the knowledge that most customers prefer using SMS and messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp over service apps. Customers also find it more convenient than calling the customer service number.

Considering the customer’s preferences, enterprises and mobile operators will focus on using messaging to inform customers seeking service. SMS can be used to send reminders and follow-up messages to customers, get feedback, and send transactional messages in real-time.

Authentication services are the fastest-growing segment

With the rise in fraud, enterprises, and mobile operators have been relying on authentication services to prevent fraud. They authenticate the user’s credentials through two-factor authentication (2FA) or one-time password (OTP). This provides an additional security layer and establishes secure and reliable communication with the recipient. It reduces the risks of unauthorized access, prevents data loss, and provides a safe messaging experience to customers. The Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector is one of the most active users of authentication services due to the sensitivity of transactions. Enterprises and mobile operators will invest more in authentication services to validate customers’ identities and secure data.

Conversational SMS is becoming popular

Although customers prefer messaging over calls, they find spam messages and one-way communication overwhelming. Sometimes, customers ignore messages where they see no scope for interaction. Conversational SMS can solve this problem. Conversational SMS mimics human conversations between people. Enterprises and mobile operators can use it to collect feedback, increase participation in quizzes, surveys, and polls, and improve engagement. It can also be used to authorize a customer’s identity.

The Growing Concerns In Messaging And How Can You Alleviate Them

The sustained popularity of SMS has also given rise to security concerns. Rising threats like grey routes and fake traffic bots erode mobile operators’ and enterprise revenue. Recently, Elon Musk revealed that X (earlier Twitter) was scammed and lost $60 million a year through SMS texts. Musk said X could ascribe about a third of its reported total losses in 2021 to these scams.

Only technologies like SMS firewalls, artificial intelligence, and machine learning (AI/ML) solutions can alleviate these issues.

At Globe Teleservices, we have been building A2P SMS communication solutions and products to help enterprises and mobile operations enhance security.

A2P SMS solutions, for instance, help enterprises and mobile operators enhance security, customer experience, and compliance.

Our products, like Armour, help mobile operators eliminate all types of SMS fraud originating from local and international market sources. It uses deep machine learning to prevent fraud like SIM farming, interconnect scams, and secure networks.

If messaging is your primary form of communication with customers, consider using these solutions. They will secure customer communication, protect revenue, and provide a great experience to your customers.

Enabling Innovations – The Purpose That Binds Us

Telecom is one industry that has transformed significantly in the last few years. We have come a long way from fixed landlines and dial-up internet to mobile phones with seamless voice, messaging, and data connectivity.

As a member of this rising sector for years, we are thrilled to witness the many drastic changes transpiring now. We have seen sharply increased, near ubiquitous, connectivity among businesses and individuals, including those based in remote locations. Further, we have had a chance to see how the smaller nations and developing economies have progressed because of communication and information accessibility.

These transformations and first-hand experiences have shaped our ethos and led us to embrace the philosophy of enabling innovations.

What Is ‘Enabling Innovations?’

‘Enabling Innovations’ is a philosophy that our company and affiliates have adopted to codify our DNA as we try to meet customer demands.

We understand that in an ever-changing business landscape, innovation is a key differentiator. It helps enterprises meet and exceed customer needs, often before they become apparent. This enables them to thrive in challenging times, stay ahead of the competition, and increase their revenue.

This bedrock philosophy of ‘enabling innovations’ guides us and our affiliate companies to build products that solve significant problems in finance and telecom.

Take the example of the telecom industry. Fraudulent calls and messaging, SIM box scams, and IP-PBX have resulted in the telecom industry losing $40 billion to fraud alone.

As such, we have built solutions like AI/ML-based anti-fraud voice to safeguard businesses from fraudulent calls and scams. We further provide real-time analytics on messaging traffic and message delivery status to help companies improve connectivity and communication.

We also offer international voice and SMS services for underdeveloped nations to bridge the global connectivity divide and uplift economies. Our solutions provide connectivity to businesses located in remote locations and help them take advantage of new opportunities.

Like Globe Teleservices (GTS), our affiliate companies have also built innovative solutions to solve major global issues.

How Our Affiliates Are Building Innovative Solutions?

CERF

CERF is the enterprise arm of GTS. It has a vast network of 100+ direct carrier connects and provides customer experience, engagement, and security solutions to enterprises worldwide.

GTS TechLabs

GTS TechLabs leverages emerging technologies like AI and data analytics to build solutions that will redefine telecom and fintech industries. Products like Armour X, TxtChain, CPaaS+, and Grentor help MNOs transform and improve efficiency.

Armour X, for example, uses AI/ML capabilities to detect anomalies in traffic patterns. It identifies SIM Farm and IP-PBX frauds, Interconnect fraud, etc. Further, it secures the network from voice and messaging fraud and improves customer experience.

FinBraine

FinBraine offers next-gen lending and eKYC software for telecoms, microfinance institutions, banks, and eCommerce industries. They have built products like IDBRAINE and CREDBRAINE to promote financial inclusivity and provide businesses and individuals with easy access to funds.

How Will Our Customers and Developing Economies Benefit from Our Philosophy?

Although we cater to different clients and industries, each of these affiliates was built to provide innovative solutions.

We have kept innovation at the heart of technologies, methods, and tools built for our clients. It’s the reason why we have been able to empower emerging economies in Africa to deliver everything from healthcare to education. It’s also why we have been able to build products that secure financial systems and provide people access to funds for purchases.

We promise to continue innovating through our ‘enabling innovations’ philosophy. We promise our customers that innovation will be the core of everything GTS and our group of companies develop. It will open new opportunities for businesses to grow and earn revenue. More importantly, it will improve financial inclusion and empower citizens to access funds and purchase whatever they want.

Watch out for this space to know more. We will continue to discuss and promote innovation.

For more information on GTS and our solutions, get in touch.

Trends & Technologies Enabling User Authentication and Onboarding

As the world has gone digital, user authentication has become one of the most challenging areas in the customer journey. Many enterprises have been trying to simplify this important stage of the customer lifecycle. From simple passwords to more innovative techniques like A2P SMS and Flash Calls, the user authentication journey has started evolving significantly. But obviously, security and customer experience must go hand in hand if enterprises are to succeed in a digital-first world.

Why Has User Authentication Moved Away from Just Passwords?

Businesses are looking to out-do each other in delivering hassle-free experiences for their customers. But for this, every aspect, like verifying consumer authenticity, speed of service, secure transactions, data exchange, etc., needs to play well together.

A decade ago, passwords were the default trend for user authentication login. Mixing numbers or special characters and strict adherence to character length did the job quite easily.

But over the years, using passwords alone for user authentication has become a risky proposition for businesses. Studies show that 80% of data breaches are linked to bad practices used in password creation and management by users.

With faster internet speeds, consumers want to quickly dive into the action with minimal clicks and typing. This need for a faster, more secure, and intuitive user authentication experience has made passwords an obsolete entity. They are now on their way out of the good books of people.

The Shift in Trends

With password-based user authentication slowly disappearing from the limelight, businesses have been looking for a replacement. But it must be newer, safer, and, most importantly, intuitive in verifying customers.

Over 60% of the global internet population comes online from their smartphones. As a result, businesses are rapidly transforming their digital channels by launching dedicated smartphone apps. These apps leverage much of the underlying device’s network capabilities for various functions. This has led to the dawn of a new breed of innovative user authentication experiences.

Let us explore the top 3 trends that dominate the user authentication journey in modern enterprise applications.

Silent Authentication

Silent authentication is an excellent way for enterprises to simplify the user authentication login process, especially during account creation. It works by leveraging the user’s smartphone network.

The mobile operator will automatically verify the customer’s credentials based on the data connection used. Data available with the mobile operator’s customer data vault is matched against smartphone signals generated on the user’s established connection. This brings a great deal of convenience and added security to the user authentication journey. By eliminating the need for OTPs and textual password inputs, the chances of fraud are minimized and users have to worry less about its impact.

No customer response needed means there is no need to fear modern phishing or social engineering scams. Such scams usually trick people into revealing OTPs or verification texts. Contrarily, the above approach completes user authentication in seconds, with zero customer input. The only downside is that users must have a good data connection as silent authentication doesn’t work over Wi-Fi.

A2P SMS

Application-to-person messaging, or A2P SMS, is a common business messaging system used for user authentication today. It is a communication link between an application and a user’s device powered by the underlying mobile network.

Carriers globally treat A2P and P2P traffic differently, allowing businesses to use A2P to authenticate their customers safely. P2P messages may be screened and rejected by carriers owing to potential scams or safety threats.

A2P messages can be configured with the right tools to ensure a clear distinction. They can be used to deliver OTPs straight to the user device’s app interface. This allows automatic verification even if the user doesn’t open the text message containing the OTP. A2P is designed to work in a scenario where a user isn’t expected to reply to the text.

Flash Calls

Flash calls — yet another user authentication login method where customers don’t have to do anything. Flash calls make for the easiest verification system used today.

A customer is authenticated from their mobile phone by a missed call to a specific number allotted to the business. Any transactional activity, like signing up for the services, user validation, etc., is done by leveraging unique digital codes. The codes would be embedded in the incoming calls to the business’s flash call programmed number. These codes act as virtual passwords and instantaneously authenticate users without any additional input.

The biggest benefit of flash calls is that they automatically handle the entire process without causing any inconvenience for customers. The call is intercepted, the password processed, and the user is verified through a series of automated tasks. These tasks are handled by the flash call solution implemented. This is a great way to engage customers by reducing hassles in their app user journey.

Faster, Safer, and Seamless Is the Way Forward

The user authentication journey for modern digital enterprises considers speed, security, and ease of use as core metrics for success. Enterprises must find the right technology to:

Tap into consumer mobile networks
Carry out their authentication process seamlessly and accurately
Deliver risk free experiences faster
Build more efficient communication channels

This is where our suite of enterprise offerings in the user authentication space becomes a great option. Contact us to explore how our solutions powered by advanced analytics, AI, and more can redefine the user authentication journey. Talk to our experts to know more.

Security Scares – 5 Stories in the News About Fraud and Risks in the Telecom World

The telecom industry is growing rapidly and becoming a pivotal enabler of the world’s progress. Various factors, like the advent of 5G, remote and hybrid work, rising demand for high-speed data services, etc., are now seen as integral to this growth. Of course, the use of IoT, AI, and edge computing has also catapulted the telecom industry to the forefront in the business innovation stakes.

According to Statista’s research, $1.5 trillion will be spent worldwide on telecom this year alone. While this shows the size and scale of the industry, some concerns remain persistent. Key among those are concerns about rising fraud in the telecom industry worldwide. In 2021, the telecom industry worldwide lost about $40 billion due to fraud.

Let’s find out how fraud in telecom industry has shocked companies, customers, and lawmakers and why a robust fraud management system in telecomis necessary to curb them.

Five Stories of Fraud in Telecom World

To better elucidate the impact of telecom fraud, here’s a rundown of the five security scares that plagued the telecom industry:

1. Why Vodafone Is Issuing Warning About Wangari Fraud

Wangari is a Japanese term that means one and cut. In this scam, the scammers call a targeted list of subscribers and hang up the phone before they answer. They usually call at a time when the subscriber is less likely active. When the subscriber calls back on that number, the call is re-routed to an international premium number, and they are charged for the call.

Owing to the growing number of Wangiri frauds, Vodafone recently released an official security memo, warning users to exercise caution and avoid returning calls to unknown numbers. They added that users who are not careful about such fraud in telecom would be left with a hefty bill without realizing it.

2. How SIM Box Fraud Cost Telecom Companies $3 Billion

A SIM box is a hardware device. It allows operators to manage SIM cards from different service providers and access GSM gateways located in different places. Operators usually use it to route Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls through local GSM networks. This is done to avoid paying international calling tariffs.

Recently, telecom providers have witnessed an increase in SIM Box fraud. In this fraud, international numbers pretend to be local numbers and cost telecom companies the international call fees. According to the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA), SIM Box fraud cost the telecom industry $3.11 billion in 2021.

SIM Box fraud has emerged as the topmost telecom fraud in recent years. Besides losing revenue, telecom companies also lose their reputation as end users suffer from poor service quality. As such, they need to improve telecom security to reduce such fraud.

3. Scammers Steal Bank Information in the Name of 5G SIM Upgrade

As customers mull over upgrading to 5G, telecom companies and state police departments in India are issuing warnings about 5G fraud. In this fraud, customers receive text messages with a link to upgrade their SIM card from 4G to 5G. When the customer clicks on the link, there is a risk of hackers hacking the phone and stealing personal and bank information.

According to police departments, there have been instances of accounts getting emptied due to the 5G SIM upgrade scam. Telecom companies and police departments have clarified that upgrading SIM cards to 5G is not necessary. The 5G connection will work on compatible smartphones with the old 4G SIM.

4. How Mobile Users Lost $58 Billion in 2023 Due to Robocalls

Popularized during COVID-19, robocalls are automated calls where a recorded voice speaks instead of a live person. Robocalls are typically used for selling products, sending reminders, or providing information. However, scammers are also using them to steal money or personal information from customers.

According to Juniper’s research, mobile users lose $58 billion worldwide due to scam calls like robocalls. The report predicts that by 2027, the losses will reach $70 billion globally. North America continues to be one of the most affected regions.

5. IRSF Losses Have Increased Six-Fold Over the Past Decade

International Revenue Share Fraud (IRSF) is a type of fraud where scammers use illegal ways to access an operator’s network. This allows them to perform illicit activities, such as:

Increasing the volume of international traffic to high-cost destinations with revenue-sharing agreements
Generating revenue by using complex pricing structures for international calls and SMS traffic

Recent studies show that IRSF losses have increased more than six-fold over the past decade. Such fraud can also lead to revenue leakage for telecom companies and leave customers unhappy due to unnecessary financial loss.

It’s critical that companies use telecom security solutions powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). They can help detect IRSF patterns early and curb them on time. Otherwise, companies will likely lose more revenue and customer trust in the future.

How Can Telecom Companies Combat These Frauds?

Fraud in telecom industry is not new. However, it has become more sophisticated and widespread in recent times, wiping out unsuspecting customers’ entire savings.

These frauds are not only impacting the revenue of telecom companies, but they are also at risk of losing customers. Trust between customers and telecom companies is eroding due to issues like:

Poor call quality
Identity theft
Overcharging
Charging for unused services

The only way to prevent such fraud is by using an anti-fraud solution. A traditional fraud detection system for telecom may no longer be able to detect and solve such sophisticated fraud. These systems are more reactive than proactive.

What companies need is a modern solution that:

Uses AI and ML to detect fraud and anomalies in real-time
Makes proactive decisions to curb the identified anomalies

At Globe Teleservices, we have built a robust fraud detection solution called Armour Firewall Solution to safeguard customers from fraud like:

Wangari attacks
SIM farming
Robocalling
IRSF
International outbound call fraud

The solution uses AI/ML algorithms to detect such emerging threats and empower telecom companies to stop them before they escalate further. To know more about Armour Firewall Solution and other fraud detection systems in the telecom industry, contact us. We will help you prevent fraud, save your reputation, and improve the trust between you and your customers.

The Data Domain – Why Modern Telecom Companies Need Data Products

With advancements in 5G technology and the increasing use of smartphones, telecom companies are looking to the future with renewed hope. The global shift to remote working has further contributed to the growth of the industry, with reports suggesting the global telecom market to reach $3.4 trillion by 2025. While this growth is encouraging – and seems sustainable – it also brings about its own challenges, like causing a massive amount of data to flow through telecom networks.

The Data Imperative in the Telecom Industry

Like businesses across other sectors, telecom companies are also increasingly relying on data to run their business and enhance profitability. They need to harness the power hidden in their data to provide elevated customer experiences, an emerging and ever-present challenge for telecom companies. Telecom companies are also waking up to the need to expand their service offerings beyond merely providing communication services. They recognize that they must make the most of the customer data at their disposal to enable a new generation of revenue opportunities by becoming digital service providers.

So, why do telcos need to capitalize on growing volumes of data?

Let’s look at all the things data helps telecom companies achieve:

Optimize networks: Live data analysis can enable telecom companies to get insight into performance issues and take steps to proactively resolve them. Active network data monitoring helps optimize network potential, reduce congestion, and achieve strategic goals amid increasing scale and complexity.
Enhance customer experience: Active data monitoring enables telecom companies to identify when and where to expand capacity for enhanced customer experience.
Improve security: Constant data analysis enables telecom companies to identify security gaps and loopholes, enabling prompt action to prevent fraud and theft.
Enable and ensure compliance: With the telecom sector exposed to regular scrutiny, the right approach to data can also aid companies in highlighting compliance gaps and bottlenecks. This can help them make the right decisions and adhere to growing regulations in a rapidly-changing environment.

But if companies want to act on this data, they need to find a way to rapidly store, process, and extract useful insights from the available data and use them to make critical business decisions like how to personalize offerings to drive customer engagement, retention, and loyalty. And the best way to do this is by investing in the right data products.

What This Means for Telecom Companies

Leveraging data to make intelligent business decisions and driving the business to the pinnacle of success is on every telco’s mind. But wanting to make the most of data is not just about adopting generic big data analytics solutions. Telecom companies have to relook at their existing tech stack and invest in data products that have been curated keeping the precise nuances of the sector in mind.

Designing and implementing forward-thinking telecommunication solutions can enable companies to exploit data-driven technology products that keep business needs at the centre of development. By uncovering detailed insights into every aspect of the business, telcos can deliver with speed, respond with agility, and drive competitive advantage. For instance, the right data products can enable telecom companies to gain insights into network capacity, effectively planning for trunk and route management.

They can also identify fraudulent activities in the network like revenue share fraud, roaming fraud, robocalling, VoIP & SIP fraud, and more.

Telecom-specific data products ensure seamless integration with the existing business ecosystem helping companies achieve the best results.

How To Build the Right Data Products

Despite various market tools, standard solutions can’t address the telecom industry’s unique challenges effectively due to its specific requirements.

To overcome issues around cybersecurity, network congestion, and complex operational processes, companies need highly tailored data products that can cater to telecom-specific needs. These solutions leverage human intelligence with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable enterprises to streamline tasks across fraud detection, network congestion, and revenue assurance.

If you want to build such products, you need to:

Make the most of AI-based analytical frameworks to boost confidence in the application of data-driven actions and avoid human errors.
Invest in the right skillsets across different profiles to develop and deploy robust data analytics programs using a low-code AI orchestration workbench.
Look at ways to complement existing technology systems and implement scalable solutions to optimize ROI.
Utilize human intelligence in tandem with AI to improve real-time monitoring, making it adaptable to future changes in business variables.

The experts at our group company GTS Tech Labs have been curating highly-tailored data products for the telecom industry. An example is the advanced product – Grentor, enabling network providers to access real-time data and gain insights on revenue reconciliation, fraud, telecom traffic, and more. It delivers interactive dashboards allowing companies to identify frauds in the network. It can also be used to track and analyze consumers, monitor network usage, and uncover ways to drive better customer experiences.

Final Thoughts

As telecommunication companies experience unprecedented growth, there is a lot they can achieve by building the right data products. By combining AI with human intelligence and low-code technologies, telcos can get all the insights they need to make the right business decisions.

It’s time to invest in the right data products today to predict your peak network usage periods, uncover ways to reduce congestion, improve demand forecasting, plan for extra capacity, and constantly act on live data to drive profitability and prevent customer churn.

Talk to us to understand the next steps in how to go about doing so.

The Modern Technologies Coming Together to Elevate Customer Experience in The Telecom Sector

Delivering products and services to the customers of today in a way that best suits them has become a top priority of today’s telecom C-suite. But as customer journeys become increasingly complex and expectations surge, enhancing customer experiences is no longer straightforward.

Read on to know why customer experience has become so crucial and the role technologies play in driving better engagement.

Customer experience has become a competitive differentiator for the telecom sector

In this customer-centric era, enterprises are increasingly recognizing that their businesses must prioritize customer needs.

Customer loyalty is no longer dependent on brand value, product capabilities, or low prices as much as it is on quality of service. As the telecom industry evolves with new trends, norms, and standards, customer experience has become a crucial factor for telecom success.

With users increasingly working from home, they demand high uptime, reliability, and availability of networks. They are quick to change operators if they are not satisfied with the quality or level of service offered. Catering to customer needs offers telecom providers opportunities to meet expectations, deliver services promptly, and preempt challenges affecting customer satisfaction.

Building cutting-edge telecom products, optimizing services, and providing positive customer experiences enable telcos to enhance customer loyalty. A good customer experience also ensures significant economic and strategic advantages for telecom providers. They open doors to better cross-sell and upsell opportunities while introducing new streams of revenue for the business. In the long run, a good customer experience translates into happier customers, better margins, and a stronger market position.

But there are many challenges telecom providers encounter along the way

A high-quality customer experience guarantees better customer loyalty and retention. But for telecom providers, continuously acclimatizing to new and higher expectations from users streaming their favorite TV series on online streaming platforms isn’t easy. With any time, anywhere access and connectivity becoming a requisite, there are many challenges telecom providers encounter along the way:

Addressing security challenges: With telecom customers extremely susceptible to modern-day frauds and attacks, the many shortcomings in enterprise data security initiatives put customer experience at risk. As social engineering threats become increasingly prevalent, the absence of robust fraud detection solutions makes addressing security concerns a huge challenge.
Driving omnichannel consistency: Another challenge telecom providers face in enhancing customer experience is enabling and sustaining omnichannel consistency. With telecom customers using an array of channels for collaboration, work, and entertainment purposes, it becomes difficult to achieve faster, safer, and smarter communication.
Meeting regulatory requirements: The inability of telecom providers to meet evolving regulatory and compliance requirements also impacts the customer experience in the long run. Lack of authentication or tracking makes it difficult to prevent regulatory oversights during communications. At the same time, telcos face a tough time identifying unethical practices by telemarketers and/or recording their activities.

How modern technologies come together to make the customer experience better

New technologies facilitate seamless and consistent telecom customer journeys, allowing for personalized experiences and interactions across multiple channels.

Let’s look at 5 such technologies that can enable telcos to increase agility and provide the intuitive experiences that their customers have become accustomed to:

Automation: Automation offers several ways to boost omnichannel engagement and customer experience. Automating error-prone, mundane, and repetitive tasks can enable telecom providers to focus on strategic initiatives that improve customer acquisition and loyalty rates. From streamlining and tracking conversions to automating customer responses – technology works wonders to remove friction points and nurture relationships. In a February 2022 survey of global marketers, 43% cited improved customer experience as the top advantage of marketing automation.
Data analytics: Data analytics can play a huge role in personalizing customer experiences. According to a report, 90% of executives worldwide leverage data analytics to enhance their customer experience. In-depth customer analytics across social media interactions, past behavior, and current sentiments can enable telecom providers to identify the latest trends and expectations. By knowing what customers love, analytics can empower telcos to build the right products, offer the right services, and craft the right experiences. In the long run, this can help enhance customer lifecycle journeys for the best upselling and cross-selling experiences.
Digital document processing: The use of digital technologies for document processing can streamline the customer onboarding process. Instead of manually entering customer details into digital systems, telecom providers can make use of processing systems to feed and process customer information. This can enable quicker and more accurate information retrieval from customer forms. Intelligent character and pattern recognition using machine learning can further make the customer onboarding process smart, effective, and error-free.
Security: Embracing security solutions that are powerful without being intrusive will also go a long way in enhancing customer satisfaction. With the right security controls in place, providers can address evolving security challenges while keeping their voice channel and messaging environments secure. For instance, state-of-the-art fraud detection and analytics systems allow telecom providers to validate numbers, route calls, and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. This can also help them protect their network subscribers, proactively track frauds, and eliminate threats in time.
Blockchain: Blockchain technology is a great way for telcos to authenticate and track events to prevent regulatory oversights during communications. The technology can be used to identify telemarketers and record their activity across channels. Blockchain can also make audits simple and allow for real-time consent management – thus scrubbing unsolicited commercial communications (UCC) across messaging networks.

For telecom providers, engaging and seamless customer experiences provide the greatest potential to increase profits. If you want to shape the modern telecom landscape, you must integrate technology into your business operations and build the right foundation of quality, efficiency, and security.

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.

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.

The Security Imperative for Telcos Providing Enterprise Solutions

In the pursuit of digital transformation, there is a growing industry demand for enterprise solutions and services from the telecom sector. In the “new” post-COVID economy, existing enterprise solutions do not meet the changing market demands. And mobile apps like Facetime enable innovative communication capabilities, thus impacting the “traditional” telecom industry.

Hence, we are seeing more telecom companies offering enterprise solutions in the form of managed services, storage solutions, and small business services. The latest reports estimate that the telecom enterprise services market is expected to reach $237 billion by 2025.

With the continuous growth of 5G services and IoT connectivity, the telecom infrastructure and services could be targeted by hackers. A successful breach can seriously impact internet connectivity and compromise sensitive information.

In the face of cybersecurity challenges, communication service providers (CSPs) are looking at security-related services as an opportunity for revenue growth. In fact, for CSPs, the revenue for security services grew by a healthy 20% in 2020.

That being so, what are the major security challenges that telecom companies must address, and how? Let’s discuss.

Security Challenges in the Telecom Sector

For major economies, the telecom sector is often the “gateway” for cyberattacks. The growing use of telecom networks and sensitive information is highly attractive to cybercriminals. As online threats grow more complex, the telecom industry must develop higher resiliency against external and internal threats.

Here are some of the leading security challenges in the telecom industry:

1. IoT Security Threats

With over 16 billion connected devices, Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks create more entry points for smart hackers. According to recent reports, security cameras in home networks are the most vulnerable IoT devices, followed by smart hubs like Amazon Alexa.

2. Insider Threats

In the post-pandemic environment, a good portion of the organizational workforce is operating from remote locations. This has increased the number of unsecured networks. The challenge is that most employees are unable to detect insider threats.

Additionally, most user applications do not implement security measures like data encryption. Cloud-powered authentication (including biometric security) can protect user data from insider threats.

3. External Cyberattacks

Cyberattacks like DDoS and DNS attacks continue to grow each year. In 2018, telecom companies were the target of nearly 65% of DDoS attacks. Going by global estimates, DNS attacks exposed 79% of business enterprises in 2020. Additionally, reports state that the telecommunication sector was the most targeted industry for DDoS attacks in the first half of 2021. Recent ransomware incidents have been large and wide ranging in scope.

Telecom companies continue to use dated network protocols like SS7 (Signalling system 7), which make their networks vulnerable to external cyberattacks. The good part is that the majority of telecom companies have implemented security measures for SS7 attacks.

Besides these security challenges, telecom companies must address third-party risks arising from external parties like vendors, partners, hosting companies, and contractors. Attackers can access telecom infrastructures using third-party tools as the “backdoor.”

How can Telecom companies meet these security expectations? Let’s discuss it next.

How Telecom Companies Can Meet Security-Related Expectations

With millions of global customers, the telecom industry is probably the largest collector of customer data, including financial and personal information. Additionally, telecom companies are required to protect sensitive data under various regulations like GDPR (in the EU) and APPI (in Japan). Any compliance failure can result in heavy penalties and loss of business trust.

To fulfil their increasing security-related expectations, telecom companies can consider the following actions:

Protecting Sensitive Data

As discussed previously, the human factor is responsible for most of the insider threats. Using data loss prevention (DLP) solutions, telecom companies can limit human involvement and damage. Effectively, DLP solutions directly protect sensitive data. These solutions can monitor files with sensitive information and limit any data transfer.

Cross-Platform Security

Security solutions mostly focus on a particular operating system or platform. However, the reality is that any IT infrastructure in any telecom company comprises a mix of operating systems and platforms.

Cross-platform security solutions provide all-around protection across multiple operating systems and platforms. With cross-platform security, telecom companies can protect sensitive data stored in all IT environments.

Additionally, telecom service providers can implement a holistic approach to security across the following four key areas:

Telecom standardization process consists of secure protocols, storage, and algorithms.
Product development process includes securing the hardware & software components, development process, software updates, and version control.
Deployment process includes a secure network design, security parameter configuration, and hardening measures.
Operations process consists of securing operational procedures and monitoring the security performance, vulnerabilities, and external attacks.

Conclusion

As more telecom companies provide enterprise solutions, they must integrate the security aspect. However, there is no quick fix to safeguard applications and sensitive data from external threats. Telecom companies must go beyond basic measures like firewalls and anti-malware tools to address their security needs.

At Globe Teleservices, we are partnering with a host of telecom companies and empowering them to meet their security requirements.

We can help you achieve optimum efficiency. Reach out to us with your business needs.