SMS and the challenge of over-the-top messaging - How third-party applications are affecting operator revenues
Please sign in or register for a free public account to access this report.
Since its first commercial deployment in 1993, SMS has grown to be a key mobile service, with the ITU estimating that 6.1 trillion SMS messages were sent in 2010. The service has also been a significant revenue generator for mobile operators, and in Q2 2012 made up more than a quarter of recurring revenues for operators in the developed world such as Vodafone and O2 (Telefonica) in the UK, Proximus (Belgacom) in Belgium and Optus (SingTel) in Australia.
However, recently SMS volumes and revenues in some mature markets have started to decline in the face of competition from third-party over-the-top (OTT) messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Blackberry Messenger, Facebook Messenger and Apple iMessage.
This report assesses how significant an effect OTT messaging services are having on SMS volumes and revenues in the developed world, and examines how operators can respond to the threat of these third-party players.
Related research
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
Region in Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa, Q4 2024
The Region in Focus series provides an essential quarterly briefing on industry developments, market insights and country KPIs for mobile markets around the world. This edition outlines the key market trends and developments in Sub-Saharan Africa for Q4 2024.
Region in Focus: North America, Q4 2024
The Region in Focus series provides an essential quarterly briefing on industry developments, market insights and country KPIs for mobile markets around the world. This edition outlines the key market trends and developments in North America for Q4 2024.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
Region in Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa, Q4 2024
The Region in Focus series provides an essential quarterly briefing on industry developments, market insights and country KPIs for mobile markets around the world. This edition outlines the key market trends and developments in Sub-Saharan Africa for Q4 2024.
Region in Focus: North America, Q4 2024
The Region in Focus series provides an essential quarterly briefing on industry developments, market insights and country KPIs for mobile markets around the world. This edition outlines the key market trends and developments in North America for Q4 2024.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics