Mobile users sent more messages with OTTs in 2012 than with SMS, according to a new research from Informa. It states that third-party app users sent an average of 19.1 billion messages per day in 2012, compared with 17.6 billion texts per day with SMS.It expects OTTs' momentum to continue to build, projecting that by the end of next year, OTT app users will send nearly 50 billion messages each day, versus about 21 billion SMS daily.
Mobile network operators that have been experiencing a decline in their legacy messaging volumes are probably not surprised by these figures—and a growing number are turning to RCS to combat the OTT threat. Like third-party services, RCS gives subscribers in-demand features like group chat, video chat, and file sharing. However, it goes a step further by providing universal reach as well as telco-grade security and quality of service, the importance of which cannot be overstated.
For those that have not developed a strategy to address the impact of OTTs, clearly the time to do so is now. Visit Interop's RCS page to learn more about the benefits of our RCS solution.
