Get the latest announcements from MEF Members across the mobile ecosystem globally in this weekly review of member news…
Case study: Telekom Deutschland promotes eco initiative with SMS personalised video
Telekom Deutschland, one of Germany’s top mobile network providers, wanted to launch a concept that would position it as a responsible brand which cares about sustainability.
The ‘We Care’ initiative encourages Telekom Deutschland customers to trade-in their old smartphones for a ‘fair’ price. These handsets are then fully reconditioned and brought back to the market in biodegradable packaging.
In particular, Telekom Deutschland wanted to promote the service to people aged 28 and younger but knew that younger people tend to ignore traditional forms of communication. So, it turned to Sinch, a messaging and cloud communications business.
Usually, Telekom Deutschland would rely on standard SMS or email to inform its customers about launches and promotions, only occasionally creating videos or adverts. This time, Sinch decided Telekom Deutschland need an engaging video suited to multiple channels.
Sinch enabled Telekom Deutschland to connect with customers directly in a personalised fashion, communicating their first name, current device, and an individualised offer. This SMS plus personalised video approach was A/B tested against a standard SMS.
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IMImobile announces it has been included in the UK government G-Cloud initiative
Global cloud communications software and solutions provider IMImobile PLC, today announced that it has been named as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) G-Cloud 12 framework.
CCS supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2019/20, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits worth over £1bn, supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.
Jay Patel, Chief Executive at IMImobile, commented, “We are pleased to have been approved by the G-Cloud framework which enables public sector organizations to easily find and purchase our core platform and applications. Given the current circumstances, digital transformation initiatives within the public sector are more important than ever and the ability to procure innovative solutions quickly, with the confidence that suppliers have met stringent government security standards, is absolutely crucial.”
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Mitto Extends Messaging Support for Major Chat Apps, Enabling Brands to Reach Billions of Users
Mitto, a leading provider of global omnichannel communications solutions, announced it now supports application-to-person (A2P) messaging via all major chat apps, extending brands’ ability to engage with customers on their preferred channels.
Mitto’s extended A2P support for all major chat apps coincides with new research from the company, which reveals insights into consumer preferences and use of chat apps across five countries: the U.S., China, India, Brazil and Nigeria.
The findings from 600 respondents in each country show increased consumer use of messaging platforms and apps for both personal use and to engage with brands, which are seeking new channels to effectively interact with their customers where they are and in ways that fit seamlessly into their lifestyle.
“Mitto’s expanded A2P business messaging support for chat apps will give our clients the ability to connect with global consumers where they’re already at: on their phones, on their preferred chat apps,” said Sandro Stupar, Director of Product Management at Mitto. “Across the world, consumers are demanding more from the brands with which they engage, and this extends into how and where they communicate. At Mitto, we work with our customers to identify how to best reach their target customers and we ensure quality delivery over the best channel. Chat apps represent massive opportunities for brands to organically drive positive customer experiences.”
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DIMOCO notifies Telefónica Germany, Telekom and Vodafone as payment agents in Germany
DIMOCO has notified German mobile network operators as payment agents. The agreement enables them to process payments of goods and services under DIMOCO’s payment license.
Since January 2018, mobile network operators (MNOs) are obliged to operate under the telecommunication exemption of PSD2 regulation, entitling them to only process digital goods, ticketing, parking and charities, but restricts them to extend the billing of goods and services outside the telecommunication exemption.
“Obtaining an own license has been a route that most of the MNOs haven’t pursued as it’s a very complex and costly procedure. Being notified as a DIMOCO agent is not only much faster and easier, MNOs can also benefit from our expertise and experience as a licensed payment institute,” explains Clemens Leitner, Executive Vice President, Carrier & Business Development at DIMOCO Carrier Billing. “We are all set to deploy DCB payments for carsharing, taxis, rental of e-scooters, electric car charging and many other industries, emphasizing on a solid legal basis.”
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Ofcom action makes a difference on ‘follow me’ fraud
Ofcom’s move to tackle the questionable money-spinning opportunity inherent in the 070 virtual phone number system has had a positive impact on fraud, according to new data from BICS.
A year ago the UK regulator moved to cap the wholesale cost of calls to 070 numbers, primarily as a way of reducing bill shock for customers, but also with a view to tackling misuse and fraud. Its action has made a difference, reducing the number of fraudulent attacks using the UK 070 range by 75% between October 2019 and September 2020. That equates to 10 million fewer scam calls.
“Ofcom’s regulation is a brilliant step forwards, and will hopefully inspire other regulators to adopt similar rules,” said Katia Gonzalez, Head of Fraud Prevention at BICS, in a statement that also warned of the ongoing battle against fraud and gave BICS the opportunity to tout its own anti-fraud platform.
Ofcom itself hasn’t updated on the impact of the 070 price cap but it’s clear from the statement it published when it made its price cap ruling last October that its motivations were more about the cost to consumers. However, it also noted that the high cost of 070 call termination facilitated various types of scam.
