Instant Messaging Apps for ‘A2P’ communication – the problem and the solution
‘A2P’ (Application to Person) communication is currently undergoing the customary generational shift. The leading channel for ‘A2P’ communication ‘the old guard SMS’ is slowly gaining the legacy status. It (SMS) is still relevant and being used as a primary channel for ‘A2P’ communication but the challenge has started and the decline will accelerate in the coming years as it has happened in the ‘P2P’ (Person to Person) communication space.
The alternatives that have emerged out there (based on OTT channel) have addressed the issue from a one way communication point of view. That is enabling communication from the application side to the person (mobile device). Which takes care of the current day requirement of notifying people with transactional reference information, event notifications, etc. This is only half the problem solved. Wide range adoption of OTT (Over the top) channel for A2P notification is on the anvil of accelerating. But, there are always challenges and teething problems when it comes to wide range adoption of any new technology, can these contemporary OTT channels support bi-directional structured communication? This would be a game changer. The jury is still out there.
History has shown us that any wide range, game changing, market defining adoption of a replacement technology will have to be associated with a behavioural change. We have seen this in the case of ‘P2P’ communication. People suddenly discovered they can share images, videos and ‘Rich Text’ based content apart from plain text with additional ability to communicate to groups and broadcast the same, this led to the explosion of this space.
What will be the behavioural change that ‘A2P’ Messaging is waiting for? Simply sending the same message which is being sent on the ‘SMS’ channel through another channel (OTT) will not cut ice with users. They need more an alternative to sms to switch and adopt a new option to receive structured communication. Here lies the problem.
The solution could be one or more of these listed arguments
Publishers could state that they are switching to the new contemporary (OTT) channel based messengers.
Should the contemporary ‘A2P’ channel support bi-directional messaging which can lead to the user being able to avail services and customer support in a ubiquitous fashion?
Should the contemporary channel offer more security for messages in terms of password protection, encryption on the communication channel?
Should the contemporary channel support ability to initiate and consume transactions?
Should the contemporary channel support messages with more intelligence built into them like a ‘button’ which can initiate a response?
Should the contemporary channel support solicited communication which would lead to elimination of unwanted unsolicited communication?
The answer is not too far away, we should see this shift from SMS to OTT channels for ‘A2P’ communication starting to take shape in the next few quarters.