SMS spam, regulate it or block it?

First of all, I need to declare, SMS Spam here is refer to those free promotional message, not those unethical premium SMS(es) services, that charge user per receive. Also, as long as the content does not violate ethical and law regulation, e.g terorrist, race issues, raise conflict, etc.

Flashing back in time,where sms just a new-comer service, sending an sms cost about one meal, people found it very effective way to communicate. As it getting popular, telco company along with some creative people start to making business based on this.

And anomaly, the more telco lower the sms cost the more telco got it revenue from. And now, it like almost email, we can send an sms at almost zero cost.

GSM network design to interconnected each other. Like mail server to deliver email, sms delivered by an alien called SMSC. So far, only telco have the SMSC. The best part for spammer is, due to the regulation, sender keep all the revenue, while by right, destination network has to deliver the message due to the regulation.

The world is too big to implement single anti spam policy. So some country start regulate kind of sms. Some even with government law that could bring spammer to court.

But is the regulation effective to combat spam, especially by those well-organized company? Company may change its name. As long as it has the benefit to its marketing, there will always people to send these message in any way. Some company might tear to ground, some can flee away, but sure they will find a way to survive...

So is it effective to set punishment ? I said NO!!
The most effetive way is just block message that telco 'thinks' a spam. Same as my opinion for site blocking. There could by several way of detection like blaclisted Smsc (learning the lesson from email's anti spam softwares). So then just let user to choose which are the best telco for them, especially some country has implemented MNP. Let user decide, whether they prefer protective telco, or they would rather loyal to "more liberal" telco.

Somehow we might found some promo are quite informative. For me, as long as it not costing us, why bother! Just delete the message. Case close and thank you!

Non-CP are taking role of a VAS, so what do "conventional CP" can do?

CP term is quite popular recent years as enabler to work with telco to provide value added services (VAS). As enabler, it provide channel to deliver content or services from other entity, such as news sources, music labels, games developers and marketing companies, as mobile-fit service. So we seen lots of service allied to certain artist, TV broadcaster, even daily product brand. It could be video on demand service, song downloads, games for mobile phone, phone enhancement or sms text news alert. But lately, the term "CP" quite allergic to some correspond to unethical service way.

As now, so many services are product and sells as their internal service. These provider affiliate with handset manufacturer so that ever since the first time we unwrap a new handset, we've forced to review so many services. They are trying to create a shortcut of CP's value chain. Broadcast companies are having their own shortcode, games companies also have their own connection to telco. So what does "conventional CP" can do as their role are no longer needed ?

To answer the economic challenges, there are several suggestion that a CP can evolve to :

1. Be a media company
As media industry expanded, cp could also become as media sources, that specialized for mobile user. Of course kind of hard to beat CNN that has correspondent all over the world, but world now evolve to personal reporting, where everyone could submit their own news. sure this is a very potential business in the future. And I'm glad to say that my company I work now is evolving to this direction too, although the idea is not quite the same. It's more to music-related broadcast channel.

2. Be an IT backend company
This idea is not new. There are used-to conventional companies now are strong player provide back end services for mobile banking, mobile airline service and even telco intern system like billing and RBT platform.

3. Affiliate with music industry
The third way is, become strategic partner with certain music labels. As now, copyright is the main issue where CP no longer can create and sell music product they used to sell, all product variant is binded with string of copyrights. Only product under Cc can be modified and sold freely.
To overcome this matter, either cp be the stratigic partner of music company or have own artists. there are advantages of having own artist, as cp will have unlimited idea to explore an artist could be, beside conventional artist has, like publishing songs, concert, promotion on radio/tv/online.


These are options for a "conventional" CP have, where a company could evolve as one type or all of them if they capable to.  Happy new year 2009 ! May coming year bring properity to us all.

Reference
1. CNBC Mobile
2. Universal Malaysia
3. Metamobile Jusradio

Are we ready for Mobile Number Portability ?

Mobile telecommunication business is one of the most active industry now in Indonesia. Competition is in the air, it's everywhere. Until last year, telco are still trying to lurk new user by voice call special offers only . Recently the tension even high for data & VAS. Telkomsel offers Rp.125K for unlimited data while provider charge as low as Rp 0.1/SMS.
But all these offer comes to nothing for existing customer, there no option to abandon a number just to chase all these temporary offers.

In some advance countries, there is Mobile Number Portability scheme, allow you to switch telco providers by preserve existing phone number (MSISDN). Are our infrastructure ready for this ?
Will people rush to a telco when it has best offer leaving other to zero? How VAS provider operations while can no longer detect telco from number's prefix ?

Of course, the implementation of MNP in Indonesia needs further market research how people react on this. Are we ready to take this for all the pro and cons ? One thing I'm sure, there will be no rush for people switching providers. Ok, maybe rush for first one or two months, but the market will found the balance, and the switching is just for people really have to.

Telco will trying to keep subscriber longer. Unlike now Rp.50K is just for 1 month validity, maybe the telco will extends it to 1 or 2 year to secure the subscriber not switching other provider. The competition can become more fair for all subscriber.

One thing is sure, it brings headache to people like me, to implement new flow to deliver VAS services.

RBT, where non-pirated music lives

Ever since telecommunication company found out the possibilities to put sound during waiting a call to be answered to replace the default "tut..tut..tut.." sound, now RBT (ringback-tone) has become a prime channel selling legal music that's the easiest way to control its copyright, and supposed no copyright violation here.

Invented by a Korean company in 2001, now most mobile telecommunication company has adopt this technology as part of VAS. The service so-called RBT has unique brand. Telkomsel, Indonesia largest mobile telecommunication company using the name "NSP 1212" (Nada Sambung Pribadi), then soon followed by i-Ring 808 by Indosat and Nada Tungguku 1818 by XL.

Even the service name may vary but the basic idea is almost the same. During calling to an RBT-subscriber, caller will hear a preset 30-seconds song (or sound) and will played until the call answered or reach maximum divert timeout. Currently, to increase revenue, the business model has become a 30-days auto-renewal subscription which proved very effective.

No wonder, now every new music product always include RBT subscribe code for its song list.
While almost every song can easily be found on internet, there almost nothing can be hack for RBT-song as user only has right purchace-to-hear, but not the song-ownership.

Addendum.
RBT now become the new kid on block for generating income for both telco and CP. As telco implement the auto renewal scheme and CP businesses attacked by unethical premium charging and widespread of free download sites, everybody turns to RBT. Maybe later on, the new kid on the block could become master of revenue. Who knows ?