Text Messaging Featured Article

Many ILECS offer services such as voice and data, but have not begun to monetize the SMS market. Within the past year, more SMS messages were sent than any other kind of telecommunication, with the volume reaching 30 percent in that one year alone.

Recently, Informa Telecoms & Media (News - Alert) predicted that mobile operators will generate a total of $722.7 billion in revenue from SMS between 2011 and 2016.

Despite reports saying that social media will kill SMS and Facebook’s (News - Alert) 425 million of its 900 million users tap into social networking over text messaging, mobile operators are still poised to generate higher total revenue from text messages.

Even for the carriers that do offer SMS, many are unaware of the advantages of Long Code Messaging, such as the FlexTalkSMS technology from TSG Global that is “real-time” and reduces the cost of messaging by almost 70 percent. 

With long code, there is an international scope that could bring in revenue on a, quite literally, global scale. What’s more, long code is fairly scalable in terms of processed messages, and it works in roaming situations where SMS text technology might fail.

“Analysts who look at actual numbers for comprehensive telecom providers can see that in many cases, text message volumes are exceeding those for conversation-based services,” writes David Vaughan over at TSG Global.

Revenue generation with long code can include advertiser sponsored interaction and consumer paid interaction. An interactive program can be sponsored by an advertiser who pays the content provider to enable delivery of voice and text content.

Long code can also support voice, fax, and text communications all at once.

Prosper Mobile Insights last year said that texting is smartphone users’ primary communications medium of choice, another testament to the power of text messaging. Getting in on the long code bandwagon will only further enable a business to not only make its number text-enabled, but be tied to a brand and provide revenue-generating opportunities.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO click here.

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