New Research Finds 75% of Operators Lack Visibility Into A2P SMS Traffic, Thwarting Monetization Opportunities; Solution Secures Networks For Authorized Traffic Only

Munich, San Francisco, October 13, 2015 – tyntec, a telecom-web convergence company, today announced the launch of its SMS Firewall solution designed to help mobile network operators (MNOs) increase security and visibility into their network traffic to effectively monetize application-to-person messaging (A2P), the market’s most promising revenue opportunity. The solution can integrate into any operator environment and block unrecognized traffic contributing to subscriber SMS spam and illicit traffic, and decreased network availability. tyntec’s SMS Firewall solution addresses the major pain points associated with A2P messaging identified in its latest commissioned research report titled, Secure Networks Key to A2P Monetization.

With OTT messaging apps slowly scraping away at operator person-to-person messaging traffic and revenue, A2P SMS has taken its place as the most popular near-term monetization strategy, with industry analysts expecting the A2P market to be worth $60 billion by 2018. This growth is further supported by mobilesquared’s survey, which found 56% of mobile operators have experienced A2P messaging traffic growth over the last 12 months. This increase becomes meaningless when two-thirds of operators aren’t able to identify or control unauthorized A2P traffic on their networks, or gray routes, making it impossible for MNOs to monetize. Now that enterprise demand for A2P messaging functionality has risen, the gray route traffic that was once negligible is now creating a sense of urgency among operators to adopt firewall solutions that monitor and control traffic. Up to this point, only 25% of operators currently use the next-generation firewalls capable of addressing gray routes and other security threats.

In partnership with infrastructure provider Cellusys, tyntec’s SMS Firewall delivers a new content filtering solution with configurable rules that enables operators to control incoming A2P traffic and protect the mobile network from threats such as gray routes, spam, flooding, among others – and create the basis for MNOs to stabilize prices and monetize their A2P traffic. In doing so, operators protect subscribers and keep their network secure and open for legitimate A2P use cases.

Different from other firewall solutions in the market, tyntec connects the dots between network security and A2P monetization, making it the industry’s first firewall solution to provide a holistic approach to A2P monetization. Building on its domain expertise and decade-long aggregator experiences, tyntec enables operators to protect their networks against all threats and leverage more than just SMS messages. With tyntec, operators are able to determine the nature of signals in the background and identify whether a number is ported, roaming or if the device is turned on. This behind-the-scenes information not only makes the SMS delivery process more efficient, but also provides the basis for key A2P use cases, such as two-factor authentication. By harnessing these core capabilities, tyntec enables operators to unlock the full potential of A2P messaging.

Key features, include:

•         Tailored solution: operators have the choice to purchase the firewall infrastructure and deploy it themselves, have it managed by tyntec, or establish a revenue-sharing business model.
•         Real-time monitoring & reporting: Threat detection and alerts for unwanted traffic and content including spam, traffic spikes and repeated content.
•         Policy management system: Powerful, flexible system for defining custom SMS filtering rules.
•         Customized traffic analysis: historical traffic analysis for spotting trends, threats and gray routes, enabling timely preventive measures and monetization planning.
•         Seamless network integration: TDM and IP-based SIGTRAN integration, supporting any network, any architecture. GSMA compliance: Scanning of all traffic for threats as defined in GSMA IR.70.
•         Easy-to-use web interface: SMS filtering policy creation made easier through web interface.

“The potential tied to A2P SMS is breathing new life into the operator ecosystem, presenting a unique opportunity to bring the reliability and ubiquity of mobile networks to the new digital economy,” said Stefan Kuehne, Director of Carrier Relations, tyntec. “But the opportunity becomes futile when operators can’t monetize the traffic. tyntec approaches the issue from a holistic standpoint, starting with best-in-class security measures and adding analytical tools and insights to capture the potential that exists in their networks. All of this enables operators to quickly monetize A2P traffic while enhancing their subscriber experience”

“With this category-redefining partnership, we are combining tyntec’s domain expertise and commercial knowhow with Cellusys’s infrastructure engineering and signaling competences to bring an end-to-end solution for mobile network security and A2P SMS monetization,” adds Dawood Ghalaieny, CEO, Cellusys.

For more information about tyntec’s SMS Firewall solution, click here: http://tyntec.com/products/sms-firewall.