Today’s consumers have more communication options than ever before. Given widespread adoption of smartphones and the convergence of mobile and IP-based messaging, mobile users have moved beyond basic texting to more sophisticated messaging options.
In-demand features like video chat and conferencing; public and private group messaging; and the ability to transfer video, text, images, and other files during a communication session are available from “over-the-top” (OTT) providers such as Skype, WhatsApp Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, and Google Talk, among others. Smartphone users download OTT applications to their phones from application stores, such as iTunes, Blackberry App World, or Android Market, and use them for communication services like texting or chatting. Gaining rapid popularity, these services are provided by third parties and are carried over mobile operators’ networks. However, they provide no revenue for operators and pose a very real threat to traditional messaging revenues. In the fight to remain relevant as communication service providers, today’s operators understand that they must evolve their messaging solutions to compete effectively with these more advanced—and often free—OTT services. Rich Communication Suite (RCS) offers a solution that can enhance the overall user experience while creating subscriber loyalty.
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