The ITW Global Leaders’ Forum (GLF) has unveiled an initiative to restore trust within the global messaging ecosystem.
The newly launched “Messaging Charter” is set to enhance trust, security, and innovation within the industry, ensuring a sustainable and efficient messaging environment for enterprises and consumers alike.
In a period where the SMS landscape is undergoing significant transformation, bringing both innovation and challenges, SMS remains the only truly ubiquitous messaging channel. Therefore, the GLF is committed to establishing a sustainable, long-term model for SMS as a valuable communication channel.
The whitepaper highlights the critical role of SMS in enterprise communication, noting its global reach, versatility, and the increasing adoption of rich communication services (RCS) as well as proposes a framework for the industry to adhere to in order to ensure the longevity and viability of the SMS ecosystem.
“We are proud to introduce the GLF Messaging Charter, a pivotal step towards building a more secure, transparent, and innovative global messaging ecosystem,” says Nabil Baccouche, co-chair of the GLF’s Future of SMS Taskforce and group chief carrier and wholesale officer at e&.
“By addressing key industry challenges such as fraud and commercial transparency, we are committed to ensuring that SMS remains a vital and trusted communication channel for enterprises and consumers worldwide. This charter underscores our dedication to fostering an environment where advanced communication technologies can thrive.”
The whitepaper identifies several challenges that hinder the current messaging ecosystem:
* Fraud and Security: increasing volumes of fraudulent and Artificially Inflated Traffic (AIT) have been reported, impacting real costs for enterprises while hindering the trust and relevance of the channel.
* Commercial Structures: some existing commercial setups often lead to unaffordability and lack transparency, sometimes resulting in misbehaviours and damaging conducts.
* Innovation: the pace of innovation in carrier messaging, while steady, faces strong competition from alternative channels, affecting its perceived relevance for enterprises.
The GLF Messaging Charter introduces a comprehensive framework to address these challenges:
* Improve Quality: committed to guaranteeing standards in message delivery, ensuring high success rates and minimising fraud.
* Reduce Fraudulent Traffic: Implementation of anti-fraud measures, including an Anti-Fraud Code of Conduct and real-time detection solutions.
* Commercial Transparency: establishing commercial structures based on delivered rather than submitted messages, fostering a fairer and more sustainable ecosystem.
* Commitment to Innovation: aiming to extend the carrier messaging proposition to include RCS and network APIs, thereby encouraging the adoption of secure and advanced communication technologies.
The taskforce consulted extensively with leading technology companies and global SMS buyers to ensure that their recommendations are supported by the industry. The charter has also been endorsed by the GLF Board and is supported by a new SMS Anti-Fraud Code of Conduct jointly owned by the GLF and the i3Forum.