In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry.
This week, Chairman and Founder Philippe Reinbold introduces wholesale voice carrier, Activatel.
What does Activatel do?
Headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with a presence in Paris, France, we are a global Wholesale Voice carrier with a strong focus on Africa. Earlier this year, we expanded our portfolio to include A2P SMS, a fast-growing product area for us. We know many of you reading this are active in the sector, and we look forward to connecting and building valuable business partnerships together.
When did you launch and what growth have you seen?
Founded in 2006, we’ve intentionally focused on core services, resisting the urge to diversify too broadly. This focus has contributed to steady growth, even as the market presents new challenges. Activatel is all about building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.
What are your main goals?
While growth on all fronts is exciting, we believe in creating a solid foundation to support sustainable expansion. Over the next few years, our goal is to strengthen the A2P SMS side of our business, while also keeping a close eye on developments in RCS Business Messaging (RBM) and beyond.
Where do you see your company in three years’ time?
We aim to establish a strong foothold in Wholesale Business Messaging while maintaining our close partnerships in the Voice sector. Voice may be overlooked by some, but as a channel that’s been around for nearly 150 years (compared to SMS, which is relatively young!), it remains a vital part of our business.
What aspect of mobile is most exciting to you right now?
The rapid pace at which previously unconnected populations are gaining connectivity is both real and inspiring. All of us know the impact that robust telecommunications infrastructure has on economic growth and well-being, particularly in developing countries. Channels like Voice and SMS are instrumental in this progress – just look at Mobile Money in Africa and the role SMS plays in powering it. Access to the internet is essential, and initiatives like SpaceX’s Starlink, which aims to provide affordable access in challenging regions, deserve high praise.
What’s the most critical issue that will hit mobile within the next 12 months?
The rapid pace at which previously unconnected populations are gaining connectivity is both real and inspiring. All of us know the impact that robust telecommunications infrastructure has on economic growth and well-being, particularly in developing countries. Channels like Voice and SMS are instrumental in this progress – just look at Mobile Money in Africa and the role SMS plays in powering it. Access to the internet is essential, and initiatives like SpaceX’s Starlink, which aims to provide affordable access in challenging regions, deserve high praise.
Apart from your own, which mobile companies are the ones to watch in the year ahead?
The term ‘mobile’ covers so much, but fundamentally, ensuring that individuals and organizations can communicate effectively is essential. While 5.7 billion people today interact via SMS, a significant part of the global population, over 8 billion, remains underserved. Mobile operator groups like MTN will play a vital role in closing this gap, with companies like Starlink providing innovative solutions. Trade associations like MEF also have an essential role in fostering global connections, the importance of which is only going one way. As the saying goes, “there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’.”
