Mobile messaging specialist Acision has issued a series of recommendations designed to help operators seize the opportunity in messaging and evolve their strategy in the new over-the-top (OTT) services world.
Examining today’s messaging realities and taking a deep dive into its own 2012 research on consumer messaging behaviours and trends (SMS vs. alternative services), Acision has identified six key strategies for operators to follow.
The first is to eliminate the cost incentive for smartphone owners to use alternative messaging services. This, says Acision, has become crucial. With operators typically offering SMS bundle prices or pay-per-use plans, there is a strong incentive for mobile users to look for alternative messaging services today which are perceived as free. Acision does not, however, say how operators should set about eliminating this cost incentive.
Secondly, operators should enrich their SMS service with new features. The company’s research indicates clear demand for services that enhance and enrich the SMS user experience in a variety of ways, from facilitating group messaging to blacklisting numbers. This, says Acision, is a key consideration for operators who can exploit what they already have in the back yard and now have a consumer segment willing to pay for an enhanced user experience.
Acision also advises operators to use the full potential of MMS. By leveraging their existing MMS infrastructure and capabilities, and combining them with attractive pricing bundles, operators could quickly increase the revenue from this service, fulfilling the demand that is clearly present for the need to share rich content. 
Fourthly, Acision says that operators should launch an enriched messaging service. Operators’ existing billing relationship with their customers, Acision believes, presents them with a real opportunity to develop alternative OTT services, which have a shorter time to market and can be optimised based upon real-time consumer feedback.
Acision’s fifth recommendation to operators is to secure native SMS in their next-generation LTE (4G) networks. With SMS still the most used communication tool, according to recent research by Acision and Ofcom, and traffic anticipated to grow from 6.4 trillion messages in 2012, to 8.8 trillion messages in 2016 (according to Informa), operators must now look to secure continuity of the service in LTE, says Acision, to ensure they don’t lose their future customers, such as the enterprise sector.
Finally, says Acision, operators should use the full potential of enterprise messaging. This, the company says, can only be fulfilled if operators unlock the messaging infrastructure, and meet enterprise use case requirements to open new revenue opportunities and drive business growth. Only then, says Acision, will organisations be able to gain the insight needed to evaluate their SMS campaigns to ensure they are both targeted and effective.
“SMS continues to remain the preferred messaging service of choice, and is used by 95 per cent of UK mobile users today,” says Acision’s Bob Hendriks. “While it is obvious that SMS remains a huge opportunity, it is important that operators recognise the need for progression in messaging, and these recommendations highlight some of the key points for consideration. We compiled this framework of recommendations in order to highlight our thoughts on what operators can do in an increasingly challenging messaging environment.”
