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MEF BUSINESS NEWS 18 JUN 2025 Oil prices are hovering near a five-month high as fears grow that the U.S. may directly enter the escalating Middle East conflict. The spike follows President Trump’s demand for Iran’s surrender and threats of a targeted strike on its leadership. If the U.S. joins Israel’s military campaign, energy markets could face prolonged volatility, fueling inflation and rattling global equities. West Texas crude surged over 10% in a week, with Asian markets mixed and Wall Street in retreat. Meanwhile, weak U.S. economic data — retail sales declined for the second mont in May — and Fed rate uncertainty — the monetary policy committee is meeting today and will decide tomorrow — are compounding investor anxiety. —————————————- Bank of America’s latest fund manager survey shows 54% of asset managers expect global stocks to outperform over the next five years, while only 23% favor U.S. equities—signaling a shift away from U.S. market dominance. Just 13% see gold and 5% bonds as top performers. —————————————- European finance officials are pitching their bond markets as a safer alternative to volatile U.S. assets, hoping to lure investors spooked by Trump-era economic unpredictability — Bloomberg reports. They argue that fiscal discipline and political stability make Europe an “oasis” for global capital. If successful, the shift could weaken the dollar’s dominance, lower European borrowing costs, and boost the euro’s global standing. The euro is already up 11% this year, while U.S. policy uncertainty and underperforming Treasuries are pushing investors to explore more stable ground across the Atlantic. ——————————————— Just in: UK inflation eased slightly in May, with the consumer price index rising 3.4% year-on-year, down from 3.5% in April—right on target with economists’ forecasts. The core inflation rate, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, also dipped to 3.5% from 3.8%. The Bank of England’s inflation target is at 2%, so while inflation is slowing, it’s still above the target. ——————————————— The G-7 summit in Canada exposed deep rifts, with Donald Trump abandoning talks early and blocking consensus on trade, sanctions, and Middle East strategy. That disunity has real economic consequences: it weakens coordinated action on tariffs, threatens global investor confidence, and undermines stable trade flows — analysts warn. With Trump walking away from deals with Japan and the EU, and allies improvising without U.S. leadership, the economic future of the G-7 may shift toward a Europe-led axis — raising questions about the dollar’s role and the global policy response to rising geopolitical risks. ————————————————- Meanwhile, Trump is ramping up his trade war with a sweeping use of national security powers to impose tariffs on everything from semiconductors to dishwashers. These so-called Section 232 tariffs could hit nearly every major import, effectively creating a global tariff wall. The broader scope — now targeting finished goods — could fuel inflation and disrupt supply chains. With uncertainty clouding trade talks and legal challenges mounting, companies and allies are left guessing how far the president will go to reshape global commerce in the name of security. ————————————————— And the Trump family expands its real estate deals with India’s richest man – nothing says ‘global leader’ like a little extra bling on the side The Trump Organization has ramped up its foreign licensing and development fees fivefold in 2024, fueled by new projects including a $10 million deal with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance conglomerate in Mumbai — the Wall Street Journal reports. The move signals a significant push by the Trump family into global real estate markets amid the president’s term, breaking from past self-imposed limits on foreign business. Other key deals include projects in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Vietnam, reflecting the Trump brand’s broadening footprint – and raising fresh concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the intersection of politics and business. —— —— MEF MOBILE NEWS 18 JUN 2025 Donald Trump has extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations by another 90 days, allowing the app to keep running while deal talks continue. The move aims to secure American user data amid ongoing US-China tensions around tech and trade. The extension buys time for a complex sale that requires both an American buyer and Beijing’s approval, which has been stalled partly due to the broader tariff war. Looking ahead, this delay keeps TikTok alive in the US mobile ecosystem, but uncertainty remains over ownership and data security—key issues for regulators and users alike. The administration has considered bids involving Oracle and private equity, but challenges persist as China resists approval amid ongoing trade disputes. ———————————— Nintendo’s Switch 2 is flying off shelves with over 3.5 million units sold in just four days, outperforming its predecessor’s launch. Thesurge comes as the gaming sector becomes a safe haven amid US-Japan tariff disputes, highlighting mobile and handheld gaming’s resilience in global trade tensions. Looking ahead, this strong demand could accelerate development of mobile-optimized games and accessories, reinforcing Nintendo’s leadership in portable entertainment. Alongside Nintendo, other gaming giants like Square Enix and Bandai Namco are also seeing gains, reflecting broad investor confidence in gaming’s growing role in the mobile ecosystem. ————————————— The GSMA and TM Forum are teaming up to simplify certification of Open Gateway APIs, aiming to boost the global telecom API economy. By aligning technical standards with business frameworks, they’re cutting complexity and cost for developers and operators integrating mobile network features like identity verification and carrier billing. This step could unlock new revenue streams for telecoms and help them better compete with cloud giants. However, challenges remain around pricing models and market adoption—telcos must prove these APIs can be commercially viable and widely available. From MEF’s perspective, this partnership is a crucial first step but far from the finish line. Operators need to commit to real API availability, fair pricing, and resolve regulatory and operational issues. MEF invites industry members to join the ongoing debate on pricing, use cases, and monetisation to help shape the future of telecom APIs and ensure sustainable growth in the mobile ecosystem. ————————————- Telecom CEOs speaking at Digital Transformation World in Copenhagen are urging the industry to fully embrace artificial intelligence or risk falling behind. Vikram Sinha of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison highlights AI’s real impact, like protecting new internet users from scams, and stresses it must be accessible to everyone, not just high-end customers. Meanwhile, Nuuday’s CEO Christian Thrane points to AI tools speeding up customer service and securing networks but says collaboration and standardized network APIs are key to unlocking AI’s full potential. The AI shift will reshape the mobile ecosystem, creating smarter services and new revenue—but only if operators build trust and work together. ————————————- The U.S. Federal Communications Commission says China Mobile could face fines for not cooperating with its investigation into whether the company is evading American restrictions. The FCC has already barred China Mobile and other Chinese telecom firms from operating in the U.S. due to national security concerns. The probe involves nine companies, including Huawei and ZTE, reflecting ongoing tensions around foreign telecom firms and U.S. security policies. The outcome could tighten regulatory controls and impact global telecom partnerships, especially involving China. ———————————— China’s mobile operators cut their operational emissions for the first time in 2024, even as mobile data traffic nearly quadrupled since 2019. The improvement reflects major efficiency gains and increased use of renewable energy across the industry, signaling a shift toward greener mobile networks. This progress is crucial as China leads in 5G connections, with over 1 billion active users driving demand. This sets a precedent for global mobile ecosystems to pursue ambitious net-zero goals, but experts warn this initial drop must accelerate to meet targets by 2030. Operators and suppliers are increasingly adopting science-based climate commitments, reshaping the environmental impact of mobile infrastructure as data demand continues to grow. —— —— MEF TECH NEWS 18 JUN 2025 Taiwan has officially blacklisted China’s tech giants Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., banning local firms from working with them without a license. This marks a sharp shift from Taiwan’s usual cross-Strait business openness and signals a tougher stance on China’s tech rise—backed by the US, which has been pushing Taiwan to tighten chip export controls. The move aims to limit China’s access to critical semiconductor technology amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Taiwan’s new leadership is focused on reducing economic dependence on China, even as Beijing warns against such actions. This marks a growing front in the global tech rivalry between the US, Taiwan, and China. ——————————— Elon Musk’s AI company xAI is close to securing $9.3 billion in combined debt and equity financing, despite recent tensions between Musk and Donald Trump. The deal includes over $5 billion in bonds and loans, anchored by a $1 billion commitment from investment group TPG Angelo Gordon, plus a planned $4.3 billion equity raise. The funding will help xAI build data centers to compete with rivals like OpenAI and Google. Musk’s xAI launched the chatbot Grok and merged with his social media company X earlier this year. While Musk’s changing relationship with Trump caused some investor hesitation, many see strong value in the deal, which aims to support xAI’s growth ambitions and projected earnings by 2029. ————————————- Spotify founder Daniel Ek is leading a €600 million investment round in Helsing, a German drone maker now valued at €12 billion, making it one of Europe’s top tech startups. Originally focused on AI software, Helsing is expanding into drones, aircraft, and submarines amid rising global defense spending and the war in Ukraine. The company has sold thousands of strike drones to Ukraine and holds contracts with several European countries. Ek says AI and autonomy are transforming modern warfare, with Helsing evolving from software to a full AI hardware and software company. Despite some backlash over his involvement, Ek is confident this investment is crucial for Europe’s future defense tech. ——————————————- OpenAI’s Sam Altman says Meta’s been throwing around signing bonuses up to $100 million to woo his staff—basically enough to make anyone consider a career change to “AI superstar.” But so far, OpenAI’s top talent isn’t biting. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is personally on the hunt for AI geniuses, even dropping $14.3 billion on Scale AI and poaching its CEO. Altman respects the hustle but jokes that Meta might be better at writing big checks than groundbreaking code — and maybe some folks just want to work for passion, not just paychecks that could buy a small — not even so small — island. —— ——
MEF BUSINESS NEWS 18 JUN 2025 Oil prices are hovering near a five-month high as fears grow that the U.S. may directly enter the escalating Middle East conflict. The spike follows President Trump’s demand for Iran’s surrender and threats of a targeted strike on its leadership. If the U.S. joins Israel’s military campaign, energy markets could face prolonged volatility, fueling inflation and rattling global equities. West Texas crude surged over 10% in a week, with Asian markets mixed and Wall Street in retreat. Meanwhile, weak U.S. economic data — retail sales declined for the second mont in May — and Fed rate uncertainty — the monetary policy committee is meeting today and will decide tomorrow — are compounding investor anxiety. —————————————- Bank of America’s latest fund manager survey shows 54% of asset managers expect global stocks to outperform over the next five years, while only 23% favor U.S. equities—signaling a shift away from U.S. market dominance. Just 13% see gold and 5% bonds as top performers. —————————————- European finance officials are pitching their bond markets as a safer alternative to volatile U.S. assets, hoping to lure investors spooked by Trump-era economic unpredictability — Bloomberg reports. They argue that fiscal discipline and political stability make Europe an “oasis” for global capital. If successful, the shift could weaken the dollar’s dominance, lower European borrowing costs, and boost the euro’s global standing. The euro is already up 11% this year, while U.S. policy uncertainty and underperforming Treasuries are pushing investors to explore more stable ground across the Atlantic. ——————————————— Just in: UK inflation eased slightly in May, with the consumer price index rising 3.4% year-on-year, down from 3.5% in April—right on target with economists’ forecasts. The core inflation rate, which excludes volatile energy and food prices, also dipped to 3.5% from 3.8%. The Bank of England’s inflation target is at 2%, so while inflation is slowing, it’s still above the target. ——————————————— The G-7 summit in Canada exposed deep rifts, with Donald Trump abandoning talks early and blocking consensus on trade, sanctions, and Middle East strategy. That disunity has real economic consequences: it weakens coordinated action on tariffs, threatens global investor confidence, and undermines stable trade flows — analysts warn. With Trump walking away from deals with Japan and the EU, and allies improvising without U.S. leadership, the economic future of the G-7 may shift toward a Europe-led axis — raising questions about the dollar’s role and the global policy response to rising geopolitical risks. ————————————————- Meanwhile, Trump is ramping up his trade war with a sweeping use of national security powers to impose tariffs on everything from semiconductors to dishwashers. These so-called Section 232 tariffs could hit nearly every major import, effectively creating a global tariff wall. The broader scope — now targeting finished goods — could fuel inflation and disrupt supply chains. With uncertainty clouding trade talks and legal challenges mounting, companies and allies are left guessing how far the president will go to reshape global commerce in the name of security. ————————————————— And the Trump family expands its real estate deals with India’s richest man – nothing says ‘global leader’ like a little extra bling on the side The Trump Organization has ramped up its foreign licensing and development fees fivefold in 2024, fueled by new projects including a $10 million deal with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance conglomerate in Mumbai — the Wall Street Journal reports. The move signals a significant push by the Trump family into global real estate markets amid the president’s term, breaking from past self-imposed limits on foreign business. Other key deals include projects in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Vietnam, reflecting the Trump brand’s broadening footprint – and raising fresh concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the intersection of politics and business. —— —— MEF MOBILE NEWS 18 JUN 2025 Donald Trump has extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations by another 90 days, allowing the app to keep running while deal talks continue. The move aims to secure American user data amid ongoing US-China tensions around tech and trade. The extension buys time for a complex sale that requires both an American buyer and Beijing’s approval, which has been stalled partly due to the broader tariff war. Looking ahead, this delay keeps TikTok alive in the US mobile ecosystem, but uncertainty remains over ownership and data security—key issues for regulators and users alike. The administration has considered bids involving Oracle and private equity, but challenges persist as China resists approval amid ongoing trade disputes. ———————————— Nintendo’s Switch 2 is flying off shelves with over 3.5 million units sold in just four days, outperforming its predecessor’s launch. Thesurge comes as the gaming sector becomes a safe haven amid US-Japan tariff disputes, highlighting mobile and handheld gaming’s resilience in global trade tensions. Looking ahead, this strong demand could accelerate development of mobile-optimized games and accessories, reinforcing Nintendo’s leadership in portable entertainment. Alongside Nintendo, other gaming giants like Square Enix and Bandai Namco are also seeing gains, reflecting broad investor confidence in gaming’s growing role in the mobile ecosystem. ————————————— The GSMA and TM Forum are teaming up to simplify certification of Open Gateway APIs, aiming to boost the global telecom API economy. By aligning technical standards with business frameworks, they’re cutting complexity and cost for developers and operators integrating mobile network features like identity verification and carrier billing. This step could unlock new revenue streams for telecoms and help them better compete with cloud giants. However, challenges remain around pricing models and market adoption—telcos must prove these APIs can be commercially viable and widely available. From MEF’s perspective, this partnership is a crucial first step but far from the finish line. Operators need to commit to real API availability, fair pricing, and resolve regulatory and operational issues. MEF invites industry members to join the ongoing debate on pricing, use cases, and monetisation to help shape the future of telecom APIs and ensure sustainable growth in the mobile ecosystem. ————————————- Telecom CEOs speaking at Digital Transformation World in Copenhagen are urging the industry to fully embrace artificial intelligence or risk falling behind. Vikram Sinha of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison highlights AI’s real impact, like protecting new internet users from scams, and stresses it must be accessible to everyone, not just high-end customers. Meanwhile, Nuuday’s CEO Christian Thrane points to AI tools speeding up customer service and securing networks but says collaboration and standardized network APIs are key to unlocking AI’s full potential. The AI shift will reshape the mobile ecosystem, creating smarter services and new revenue—but only if operators build trust and work together. ————————————- The U.S. Federal Communications Commission says China Mobile could face fines for not cooperating with its investigation into whether the company is evading American restrictions. The FCC has already barred China Mobile and other Chinese telecom firms from operating in the U.S. due to national security concerns. The probe involves nine companies, including Huawei and ZTE, reflecting ongoing tensions around foreign telecom firms and U.S. security policies. The outcome could tighten regulatory controls and impact global telecom partnerships, especially involving China. ———————————— China’s mobile operators cut their operational emissions for the first time in 2024, even as mobile data traffic nearly quadrupled since 2019. The improvement reflects major efficiency gains and increased use of renewable energy across the industry, signaling a shift toward greener mobile networks. This progress is crucial as China leads in 5G connections, with over 1 billion active users driving demand. This sets a precedent for global mobile ecosystems to pursue ambitious net-zero goals, but experts warn this initial drop must accelerate to meet targets by 2030. Operators and suppliers are increasingly adopting science-based climate commitments, reshaping the environmental impact of mobile infrastructure as data demand continues to grow. —— —— MEF TECH NEWS 18 JUN 2025 Taiwan has officially blacklisted China’s tech giants Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., banning local firms from working with them without a license. This marks a sharp shift from Taiwan’s usual cross-Strait business openness and signals a tougher stance on China’s tech rise—backed by the US, which has been pushing Taiwan to tighten chip export controls. The move aims to limit China’s access to critical semiconductor technology amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Taiwan’s new leadership is focused on reducing economic dependence on China, even as Beijing warns against such actions. This marks a growing front in the global tech rivalry between the US, Taiwan, and China. ——————————— Elon Musk’s AI company xAI is close to securing $9.3 billion in combined debt and equity financing, despite recent tensions between Musk and Donald Trump. The deal includes over $5 billion in bonds and loans, anchored by a $1 billion commitment from investment group TPG Angelo Gordon, plus a planned $4.3 billion equity raise. The funding will help xAI build data centers to compete with rivals like OpenAI and Google. Musk’s xAI launched the chatbot Grok and merged with his social media company X earlier this year. While Musk’s changing relationship with Trump caused some investor hesitation, many see strong value in the deal, which aims to support xAI’s growth ambitions and projected earnings by 2029. ————————————- Spotify founder Daniel Ek is leading a €600 million investment round in Helsing, a German drone maker now valued at €12 billion, making it one of Europe’s top tech startups. Originally focused on AI software, Helsing is expanding into drones, aircraft, and submarines amid rising global defense spending and the war in Ukraine. The company has sold thousands of strike drones to Ukraine and holds contracts with several European countries. Ek says AI and autonomy are transforming modern warfare, with Helsing evolving from software to a full AI hardware and software company. Despite some backlash over his involvement, Ek is confident this investment is crucial for Europe’s future defense tech. ——————————————- OpenAI’s Sam Altman says Meta’s been throwing around signing bonuses up to $100 million to woo his staff—basically enough to make anyone consider a career change to “AI superstar.” But so far, OpenAI’s top talent isn’t biting. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is personally on the hunt for AI geniuses, even dropping $14.3 billion on Scale AI and poaching its CEO. Altman respects the hustle but jokes that Meta might be better at writing big checks than groundbreaking code — and maybe some folks just want to work for passion, not just paychecks that could buy a small — not even so small — island. —— ——

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Sophisticated Schemes Call For Sophisticated Services: How Real-Time Data is Taking a Bite Out of Crime

| Anti-fraud, MEF Webinars & Workshops, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In a recent MEF webinar Nicholas Rossman, MEF Director of Programmes was joined by Bradley Greer, Vice President, Data Solutions & Product Marketing at netnumber, who shed light on the power of harnessing next-generation insights at the phone number level to circumvent fraudulent activities and establish trust with phone numbers…

Webinar: The Future of Wholesale Messaging: Trends, Challenges & Innovations

| Connectivity & Wholesale, MEF Webinars & Workshops | No Comments
MEF's Isabelle Paradis is joined by Evgeniya Pikina, VP Business Development at Mitto, to discuss the evolving A2P messaging landscape, the enduring value of SMS, the role of AI in fraud prevention, and why trusted partnerships and service quality are key to long-term success in enterprise communications. In the shifting…

Webinar: Containers to Connectivity; The Ripple Effect of Tariffs on Telecoms

| Anti-fraud, MEF Webinars & Workshops | No Comments
MEF Advisor and telecom strategy consultant Paul Ruppert is joined by Ambassador Frank Lavin, former U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade and Ambassador to Singapore, for a high-stakes conversation on how new U.S. tariffs are reshaping global telecommunications—from infrastructure to innovation. This webinar explores the second-order impacts beyond ports…

The Conversational Commerce Shift: Ushering in a New Messaging Era

| Event Roundup, MEF Webinars & Workshops, MEFTV, Messaging Channels | No Comments
Caitlin Long, Senior Director for Product Management & Strategy at Bandwidth, shares an overview of their session from MEF Global Forum 2025 in Barcelona, where she and Stephanie Lashley explored the shift towards "conversational" commerce and how you can best prepare for and embrace this new era in business messaging.…

Perspectives in Mobile – Signal Scandal Human Flaw, Quantum Tech Will Defy Crypto

| Interviews, Messaging Channels, Podcasts | No Comments
Listen to the latest Perspectives in Mobile podcast as MEF’s Riccardo Amati speaks with CCS Insight’s Chief Analyst Ben Wood about security, trust, and the impact of emerging technologies on encryption standards. A recent mistake where a journalist was accidentally added to a private Signal chat has raised fresh concerns…

Perspectives in Mobile: AI Meta-Surfaces to transform sensing in mobile

| Interviews, Messaging Channels, Podcasts | No Comments
Listen to the latest Perspectives in Mobile podcast – in this special episode, recorded at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Metalenz CEO Rob Devlin discusses how their breakthrough technology could reshape the industry. Metalenz is on a mission to revolutionize mobile devices with its cutting-edge metasurface technology. The company’s…

Perspectives in Mobile – The Battle for Connectivity: Satellite, Cellular to Converge

| Interviews, Messaging Channels, Podcasts | No Comments
Listen to the latest Perspectives in Mobile podcast. Satellite and cellular networks are shifting from competition to convergence, promising lower costs and seamless connectivity in the next 2–3 years.In this episode of MEF podcast Perspectives, mobile satellite service specialist Iridium CEO Matt Desch ...

Perspectives in Mobile: GenAI Continues to Revolutionise Interactive Advertising

| Interviews, Messaging Channels, Podcasts | No Comments
Generative AI is reshaping industries, unlocking unprecedented opportunities in interactive advertising and customer engagement. In this insightful interview, Marina Petrova, Head of Generative AI at GMS, highlights the transformative potential for telcos, digital agencies, and key sectors such as travel and retail.

5 minutes with… Infobip

| 5 minutes with, Interviews, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry. This week, Matija Ražem, Chief Commercial Telecom Officer talks about his business, a venerable 20 year old veteran of the industry and MEF Member of 10 years this…

The Conversational Commerce Shift: Ushering in a New Messaging Era

| Event Roundup, MEF Webinars & Workshops, MEFTV, Messaging Channels | No Comments
Caitlin Long, Senior Director for Product Management & Strategy at Bandwidth, shares an overview of their session from MEF Global Forum 2025 in Barcelona, where she and Stephanie Lashley explored the shift towards "conversational" commerce and how you can best prepare for and embrace this new era in business messaging.…

Unlocking value with RCS for Business: Insights from Sinch, Google, and WeCredit

| Event Roundup, MEF Webinars & Workshops, MEFTV | No Comments
At The Future of Mobile 2025 event during MWC in March 2025, industry leaders from Sinch, Google, and WeCredit took the stage to discuss why businesses should be paying attention to RCS as a business messaging solution – below, Sinch share an overview from the session. For more than two…

Perspectives in Mobile – Signal Scandal Human Flaw, Quantum Tech Will Defy Crypto

| Interviews, Messaging Channels, Podcasts | No Comments
Listen to the latest Perspectives in Mobile podcast as MEF’s Riccardo Amati speaks with CCS Insight’s Chief Analyst Ben Wood about security, trust, and the impact of emerging technologies on encryption standards. A recent mistake where a journalist was accidentally added to a private Signal chat has raised fresh concerns…

Telco Investments in the 2020s: Why Mobile Identity Should Be on Your Radar

| ID & Data | No Comments
As user expectations shift and SMS OTPs face growing scrutiny, telcos are at a crossroads in the mobile identity space. The time has come to move beyond legacy authentication and embrace seamless, secure alternatives. In this post, Harry Cheung, Founder & CEO of IPification explores why telcos must evolve -…

Apple has just made a big move into mobile ID. What does it mean?

| ID & Data | No Comments
Apple’s WWDC 2025 announcement could be a turning point for digital identity. With iOS 26, users will be able to store government passports in Apple Wallet-unlocking a new era of on-device, privacy-preserving ID. This raises major opportunities, and questions, for carriers, enterprises, and digital identity providers. Tim Green, MEF Programme…

EU Age Verification App: A Privacy-First Milestone for Child Safety

| Content & Advertising, ID & Data | No Comments
The European Commission’s upcoming age verification app, launching by July 2025, marks a major step toward safeguarding minors online. Built on privacy-preserving technology, it aligns with the Digital Services Act to help platforms comply with age restrictions while protecting user data. Dario Betti discusses the innovation and explores the potential…

MEF Connects: ID & Wallets: looking forward to EUDI, AI agents and network APIs

| ID & Data | No Comments
At MEF Connects: ID & Wallets in London last week, industry experts explored the future of trust, regulation, and authentication. From EU digital wallets to biometrics and network APIs, the event highlighted both the challenges and the innovations reshaping how we verify people – and machines – in an increasingly…

A2P Messaging Security and Fraud Prevention in India

| Anti-fraud, Messaging Channels | No Comments
Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging is a vital channel for business communication in India, yet it faces growing challenges from sophisticated fraud. In this post, Chris Almeida, Chief Strategy Officer at Globe Teleservices explores the current security landscape, examining India’s regulatory framework, including the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) system, the prevalent fraud…

Spain Takes action Against Phone Scams, new rules coming into force

| Anti-fraud, Messaging Channels | No Comments
Spain is stepping up its fight against phone and SMS fraud with new rules which came into effect from June 7. In this post, Stefano Nicoletti, Head of MEF’s Sender ID Registry outlines how the latest measures fit into a growing European effort to curb identity theft and digital scams.…

Sophisticated Schemes Call For Sophisticated Services: How Real-Time Data is Taking a Bite Out of Crime

| Anti-fraud, MEF Webinars & Workshops, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In a recent MEF webinar Nicholas Rossman, MEF Director of Programmes was joined by Bradley Greer, Vice President, Data Solutions & Product Marketing at netnumber, who shed light on the power of harnessing next-generation insights at the phone number level to circumvent fraudulent activities and establish trust with phone numbers…

UK Home Office Adopts MEF Business SMS Code of Conduct as Foundation for Telecom Fraud Charter

| Anti-fraud, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In a landmark move demonstrating alignment between public policy and industry standards, the UK Home Office has confirmed that its forthcoming 2nd UK Telecom Fraud Charter will be based on the MEF Business SMS Code of Conduct for its A2P Messaging part. This decision marks a major step in the…

Satellite-To-Mobile: Redefining The Boundaries Of Wholesale Telecom

| Connectivity & Wholesale | No Comments
Unlock the Future of Connectivity: Download Our Exclusive Satellite-to-Mobile Report The telecommunications landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and the rise of Satellite-to-Mobile (Sat-to-Mobile) technology is at the epicenter. This isn't just about closing coverage gaps; it's a fundamental change that challenges traditional wholesale telecom models. Our in-depth report, "Satellite-to-Mobile:…

Webinar: The Future of Wholesale Messaging: Trends, Challenges & Innovations

| Connectivity & Wholesale, MEF Webinars & Workshops | No Comments
MEF's Isabelle Paradis is joined by Evgeniya Pikina, VP Business Development at Mitto, to discuss the evolving A2P messaging landscape, the enduring value of SMS, the role of AI in fraud prevention, and why trusted partnerships and service quality are key to long-term success in enterprise communications. In the shifting…

MEF’s Basic RCS Positioning Paper

| Connectivity & Wholesale | No Comments
Unpack the future of business messaging with MEF's "Basic RCS Positioning Paper." This essential guide delves into the evolution of SMS, introducing Basic RCS as a powerful tool for brands seeking verified, secure, and engaging communication. Explore the key benefits, including brand recognition, enhanced customer insights, and reduced fraud, all…

Standardization and APIs: The Critical Enablers of Wholesale IoT Market Development

| Connectivity & Wholesale, MEF Webinars & Workshops | No Comments
At the recent MEF Connects Wholesale 2025 Andrew Parkin-White of TecFutures joined MEF’s Nassia Skoulikariti and an all-star panel to discuss the importance of standardization and APIs the development of the wholesale IoT market. Here, Andrew shares his five key themes that emerged during the course of the discussion.The global…

5 minutes with… Infobip

| 5 minutes with, Interviews, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry. This week, Matija Ražem, Chief Commercial Telecom Officer talks about his business, a venerable 20 year old veteran of the industry and MEF Member of 10 years this…

5 minutes with… Gamma

| 5 minutes with, Interviews, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry. This week, Business Director Mike Mills introduces unified communication specialists Gamma. Gamma works to simplify complex communication challenges. Our mission to make communication more human means businesses, no…

5 minutes with… TeleSystems

| 5 minutes with, Interviews, Messaging Channels | No Comments
about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry. This week, Chief Business Development Officer Ivan Mihaljevic introduces Telesytstems. TeleSystems is a Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provider, offering a proprietary end-to-end solution for business messaging. Our OMNI-channel platform enables companies to seamlessly communicate with…

5 minutes with… MediaXO

| 5 minutes with, Interviews, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry. This week, Nir Weissman, Business Development Director introduces MediaXO.MediaXO specialises in the development of cutting-edge digital products with a strong focus on mobile value-added services (VAS). We are…

RCS momentum and omnichannel innovation

| Guest blog, Messaging Channels | No Comments
In her session at the recent MEF Leadership Forum Americas 2025, Sinch’s Lodema Steinbach explored the evolution of enterprise omnichannel communications. With customer expectations rising, she emphasized that seamless, multi-channel engagement – powered by AI and enriched by interactive messaging like RCS and WhatsApp – is no longer optional. In…

The $1.03 Trillion Problem – Today’s Sophisticated Fraud Environment

| Anti-fraud, Guest blog, MEF Webinars & Workshops | No Comments
MEF Member netnumber share an overview of their keynote presentation at the recent MEF Leadership Forum Americas 2025, where Catalin Badea, VP of Product Management, unveiled key strategies for combating phone number fraud – including discussing a recently launched innovation as well as a long-time industry staple – that strategically…

MEF Leadership Forum Americas 2025 – Aduna and Connecting Networks

| Guest blog, MEF Webinars & Workshops, Messaging Channels | No Comments
Kicking off the show Aduna CEO Anthony Bartolo delivered a visionary keynote that positioned the newly formed venture as “the connector of networks” poised to transform the telecommunications industry. Bartolo outlined how Aduna will simplify the complex ecosystem of network APIs by creating a unified global platform that enables seamless…

Will 2025 be the year of RCS?

| Guest blog, Messaging Channels | No Comments
Dave Boddington, Group Product Manager at Infobip shares an overview of their session at MEF CONNECTS Omnichannel where he was joined by Upland Software’s Rew Golding to discuss where we are as an industry with RCS and whether 2025 will be the year it becomes the new standard. Some of…
Guest blog

How would sir like to pay? With my data please

It may be too late to completely take back our privacy. But couldn’t we at least trade it for a fair price? This powerful idea is finally gathering momentum, says Tim Green… I have a weird attitude to privacy in this online age. It’s like I’m straddling a fence between…
Sam Hill
November 5, 2015
Uncategorized

The dramatic rise of language learning apps

Apps like Babbel, Memrise and Duolingo use gamification to make learning convenient, fun and very fast. Could they have a future in schools? Every day, millions of children go to school dreaming of the moment they can come home and get back to Call of Duty. Or Candy Crush. Or…
Sam Hill
November 4, 2015
MeffysMEFTV

Meet the Meffys 2015 finalists and winners

At last month’s Meffys Gala Dinner in London, MEFTV chatted backstage with all the jubilant winners as they came offstage having received their respective accolade from the evening’s host legendary beat-boxer and musical mastermind Beardyman. See what they have to say and check out all the showreels from each of…
Sam Hill
November 3, 2015
Guest blogMeffys

The mobile phone – a farmer’s best friend

Mobile technology is transforming agriculture in developing countries, exploiting the ubiquity of mobile device ownership to offer genuinely transformative services. Below CEO of WeFarm, Kenny Ewan and Meffy winner for Innovation in Mobile Technology discusses the growing role of mobile for farmers in growth markets. Technology is everywhere, particularly in our everyday lives. The…
Tim Banks
November 3, 2015
Uncategorized

Mobile market stats round-up: 2 November

North American mobile market is worlds largest, IOT security valued at $646m, Adult site mobile traffic causes 1/3rd of malware attacks... These and many more mobile data points and reports await in this week’s MEF market stats round up. Some readers mighty remember when the US (and Canada) was a…
Sam Hill
November 2, 2015
MEF Data

October in numbers: essential mobile market stats

Every week, MEF Minute find the latest industry stats and reports from across the global mobile industry. Here we present a round up of all the reports and sources from throughout the month by sector.Mobile commerce Male shoppers on WeChat spend 1.3x more than female shoppers. Tablet e-commerce loses out…
Tim Banks
October 30, 2015
News Roundup

Global mobile news round-up 30 October

Find out the week’s top mobile stories from around the world. This week.. European data roaming charges & net neutrality, Twitter & mobile ad revenue, Apple watch sales figures plus much more.Extra costs of using a mobile phone in countries across the EU are to be scrapped, MEPs have agreed,…
Sam Hill
October 30, 2015
Meffys

You stay classy, Meffys

The winners at last week’s Meffy awards event reflected the global, life-improving nature of today’s mobile content. What a long way we’ve come from appalling Java games and inexplicable on-device portals, says a battle-scarred Tim Green... Over 12 years of Meffys, a small number of things have stayed the same.…
Tim Green
October 29, 2015
MEF