Once the backbone of enterprise communication, A2P SMS now faces growing pressures that could redefine its future. From emerging threats to shifting market dynamics, the industry stands at a critical crossroads that demands collective action and innovation. MEF Head of Global Anti-Fraud Solutions, Sham Careem, explains why collaboration is key to protecting trust in messaging.
There was a time when A2P SMS (Application-to-Person messaging) was the unchallenged backbone of enterprise communication. Banks, retailers, and governments relied on it to authenticate users, deliver alerts, and connect instantly with billions of consumers.
But today, that foundation is under pressure — and unless the industry acts together, we risk losing one of our most trusted, universal channels.
The future of A2P SMS depends on cooperation — transparent, structured, and accountable cooperation — under a framework the whole industry can stand behind.”
The Challenges We Face
The threats are not hypothetical; they’re happening right now.
- Fraud and AIT are eroding trust.
Artificially Inflated Traffic (AIT) and consumer-targeted fraud — including smishing and spoofing — are damaging confidence in SMS and threatening its sustainability. End users are losing trust, enterprises are questioning ROI, and regulators are demanding answers. - The value proposition is weakening.
As costs in some markets rise and fraud remains, many brands are questioning the value of SMS. That question should alarm everyone in the messaging value chain — from MNOs to aggregators to CPaaS providers. - Competition is intensifying.
OTT channels, authenticator apps, and emerging network APIs are all competing for the same use cases that once defined A2P SMS. If we fail to address the weaknesses in our own ecosystem, those alternative channels will gladly fill the gap. - Regulatory pressure is increasing.
Telecom regulators are scrutinising SMS, in some markets looking at price, but in most focusing on fraud. Banking regulators, meanwhile, are becoming directly involved as fraud increasingly targets their customers. Without an effective strategy, we risk seeing more and more cases of regulatory intervention with potentially damaging consequences for the ecosystem.
Why SMS Still Matters
Despite these challenges, SMS remains strategically vital — not only for enterprises, but also for CPaaS providers and telecom operators.
For CPaaS, SMS is still the channel that delivers reach, reliability, and universal access — especially in authentication and financial services. For telecoms, it’s one of the few messaging channels where they can still earn telecom-based revenue, rather than competing on thin margins against OTT players.
If we allow A2P SMS to decline prematurely, we don’t just lose a product — we lose a trusted medium that underpins commerce, and communication worldwide, and source of strategically important, telecoms industry revenue, at a time where OTT players continue to make gains into traditionally telco based revenue streams.
A Collaborative Response: The MEF Anti-Fraud in Messaging Charter
That’s why the Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF) is leading a new cross-industry initiative — the MEF Anti-Fraud in Messaging Charter.
The Charter is being developed through collaboration between CPaaS providers, mobile operators and technology vendors, working through five strategic Accords:
- Data Sharing
- Anti-AIT (Artificially Inflated Traffic)
- P2P SMS Protection
- A2P SMS Protection
- Identity Verification
Unlike traditional best practice guides, which remain essential for education and alignment, the Charter represents a move from principles to practice — from voluntary recommendations to shared, actionable commitments. It’s about working together to implement real-world solutions that protect consumers, restore trust, and strengthen the economic sustainability of the channel.
The MEF Executive Exchange in Rome
This month’s MEF Executive Exchange in Rome is a crucial milestone in that journey. Senior leaders from the CPaaS ecosystem — will come together to shape the Charter and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signalling their shared intent to collaborate in developing it.
These are not just words on paper. This is about industry leaders acknowledging that we can no longer afford to solve fraud and traffic integrity in isolation. The future of A2P SMS depends on cooperation — transparent, structured, and accountable cooperation — under a framework the whole industry can stand behind.
Looking Ahead
The MEF Charter is not the end of the journey; it’s the beginning of a new phase for business messaging — one built on trust, integrity, and shared responsibility.
A2P SMS can continue to thrive, but only if we protect it together. The work we do now — as an industry — will decide whether SMS remains a trusted, valuable channel in the years ahead, or fades into history as another missed opportunity for collaboration.
=> Email me here sham@mef.email to find out more about the MEF Anti-Fraud in Messaging Framework.
