Industry News

Latest trends and developments in the global telecom industry.

2026-09-28

Brazilian Law Mandates Operators to Block Gambling Websites Effective October 6

On Friday, September 25, 2026, President Lula signed Provisional Decree No. 1.394/2026. The decree stipulates that internet operators and network service providers must block gambling websites in accordance with instructions issued by the government to Anatel, Brazil's telecommunications regulatory agency. The removal of gambling platforms will commence at midnight on October 6.

2026-09-23

Market Share of Domestic Mobile Voice and SMS Traffic in Kenya

According to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya, Safaricom continued to maintain its leading position in domestic voice and SMS traffic across Kenya's telecommunications sector in the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 fiscal year.

2026-09-23

Peru Launches Exclusive 500 Number Range, Mandates Its Use for Commercial Calls and Commercial SMS

On September 15, 2026, Peru's Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) officially rolled out the exclusive 500 number range via a supreme decree. The range is designated exclusively for commercial and advertising outbound calls and SMS to crack down on spam marketing communications, and is scheduled to be officially put into operation in March 2027.

2026-09-23

Orange Group Retires MásOrange Brand, Renames Spanish Entity to Orange España

Following the completion of its full acquisition of MásOrange, its Spanish joint venture, Orange has discontinued the MásOrange corporate brand and unified its Spanish operations under the name Orange España, aligning with Orange’s global operator brand architecture.

2026-09-22

Chile Orders Blocking of 37 Domains Linked to Illegal Online Gambling

Acting in compliance with judicial rulings issued by the Supreme Court of Chile and the Santiago Court of Appeals, Chile's Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel) has issued an order to six domestic internet service providers (ISPs) requiring them to block 37 newly identified illegal online gambling domains, subdomains, and mirror sites.

2026-09-15

Russia Develops Homegrown Super App MAX to Divert Traditional A2P SMS Traffic

MAX is a cross-platform instant messaging super app developed by Russia's VK. Positioned as a domestic alternative developed in response to external sanctions and modeled after WeChat, it integrates a wide range of capabilities spanning communications, government services and payments. Backed by policies including legally mandated pre-installation and zero-rated carrier data, the app has gained rapid traction, with a large volume of bank and government OTP notifications migrating from SMS to the platform. This shift has profoundly reshaped Russia’s A2P SMS market landscape.

2026-09-15

Russian Government Services Platform Госуслуgi Phases Out Mobile SMS Login Verification

Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development, citing anti-fraud security concerns, is phasing out SMS login verification codes on the mobile version of the state public services platform Госуслуgi, with priority shifting to authentication methods including the domestic IM tool MAX, TOTP, and biometrics. SMS login will remain available temporarily on the desktop web version. This move will further shrink the use cases for government-related A2P SMS services.

2026-09-15

Russia Pushes for Adoption of Domestic IM Tool MAX as a Channel for Business Verification Code Notifications

Russia is driving the migration of banking and government verification codes and transaction notifications to MAX, its domestic instant messaging platform. Following industry lobbying and multi-stakeholder negotiations, the country’s four major mobile operators officially reached a cooperation agreement in May 2026: notifications will be prioritized for delivery via MAX, with automatic fallback to SMS in case of delivery failure. This shift is steadily reshaping the landscape of the local A2P SMS market.

2026-09-10

Nigeria’s NCC Launches Device Management System to Strengthen SIM Device Type Approval

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has launched its Device Management System (DMS) and rolled out the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) to leverage technology for stricter type approval oversight of SIM-enabled communication devices. Unregistered devices will be barred from accessing the country’s mobile networks.

2026-09-10

MTN Nigeria Surpasses 100 Million Users, Nationwide Mobile Lines Reach 195.11 Million

According to the July 2026 industry statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), MTN Nigeria has become the first local operator to exceed 100 million active users. The total number of mobile lines in service across Nigeria has reached 195.11 million, with market concentration among leading operators has further increased.

2026-09-10

Argentina Telecom Merger Approved, Metrotel to Take Over Over 6 Million Mobile Subscribers

The National Competition Authority of Argentina (ANC) has approved Metrotel as the asset transferee, a key antitrust precondition for Telecom Argentina’s acquisition of Movistar, the Argentine subsidiary of Telefónica. The asset divestiture covers over 6 million mobile subscribers and 211,400 fixed-line broadband subscribers. The move enables Metrotel, which previously focused on enterprise, government and wholesale services, to enter the mass consumer telecommunications market, with the full divestiture required to be completed within 18 months.

2026-09-05

Following Ufone-Telenor Merger, Proposal Submitted to Rebrand as e&

Upon completion of the merger, the management of PTML proposed replacing both the Ufone and Telenor brands with the global brand of its parent company e&. The plan immediately drew intervention from Pakistan’s federal government, and the rebranding process was temporarily suspended. At the core of the dispute is first the omission of "Pakistan" from the new brand "e&" — critics argue this undermines national identity for a critical infrastructure enterprise where the government holds an approximately 67% stake. Second, the Ufone board approved the rebranding before the board of its parent company PTCL had completed the decision-making process for the same proposal. The government has questioned its legal authority and is considering seeking legal opinions to confirm whether the subsidiary’s board has the right to unilaterally make such major decisions before all legal merger procedures are fully completed.

2026-08-31

Telefónica switches buyer to advance sale of Mexico‑based Movistar

Telefónica terminated exclusive negotiations with Beyond ONE. On 07‑04‑2026, it officially announced the sale of 100 % stake in Mexican Movistar to OXIO‑led Melisa Acquisition consortium at an enterprise value of USD 450 million, pending regulatory review by Mexico’s CRT. The asset operates under an asset‑light model relying on AT&T’s network; core value lies in its multi‑million subscriber base, enterprise clients and B2B wholesale interconnection including A2P SMS wholesale. The brand and management team will remain during transition. Post‑closing, the new owner may renegotiate A2P pricing, Sender ID and other commercial terms. Aggregators should watch for potential changes. All existing interconnection agreements, A2P rules and settlement rates remain valid prior to closing.

2026-08-28

Philippine NTC Proposes National ID as Sole Valid Document for SIM Registration

The revision of the Philippines’ "SIM Card Registration Act" has recently made significant progress on both the administrative and legislative fronts. On the administrative side, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has proposed amendments to its implementing rules and regulations, aiming to designate the national ID as the only acceptable official identification document for SIM card registration, and has scheduled an online public hearing for August 27, 2026. On the legislative side, the Senate has approved Senate Bill 2395 on third reading, and the House of Representatives has also passed the relevant bill on third reading. In addition, the Mandaue City Council has passed the first reading of a local ordinance that seeks to ban the sale and purchase of pre-registered SIM cards.

2026-08-26

MTN’s acquisition of IHS receives conditional regulatory approval in Nigeria

MTN Group’s takeover of tower operator IHS Towers has secured conditional clearance from Nigeria’s competition regulator FCCPC. As a passive tower infrastructure provider, IHS does not handle SMS signalling or A2P business logic, yet tower quality directly governs A2P SMS delivery rate, latency and failure probability. Post‑closing, MTN will cut third‑party tower rental outlay, enabling upgrades to A2P risk‑control systems and better delivery performance for remote‑area subscribers. Regulators mandate up to 30 % equity stake in IHS Nigeria be offered to local investors and non‑discriminatory tower access for competitors including Airtel. Higher tower rents may lift rival operators’ network costs and push up A2P termination rates. Cross‑border A2P players may see improved stability on MTN direct connections, while MTN’s stronger bargaining power raises risks of tighter commercial terms, quotas and risk policies. Traffic may shift toward MTN, boosting its market share. NCC’s A2P licensing regime remains unchanged; aggregators still require official licences for cross‑border SMS operations.

2026-08-26

Kenyan Operators Mandate Pre-Registered Sender IDs for A2P SMS

Sending A2P SMS in Kenya requires mandatory pre-registration of Sender IDs via carriers, a requirement driven by the approval process of market leader Safaricom, which holds over 60% of the mobile subscriber share.

2026-08-20

Turkey Bans Gambling, Political, Religious and P2P Content in A2P SMS

Turkey enforces strict content control for A2P (Application-to-Person) SMS. Gambling, political, religious and P2P personal communications are explicitly prohibited categories. Commercial marketing SMS is subject to dedicated compliance thresholds. Public service guidelines from multiple international communications providers confirm these rules, which constitute fundamental requirements for cross-border SMS operations into Turkey.

2026-08-18

Kenya High Court Upholds Million-Shilling Fine Against Platinum Credit

In July 2024, Donald Mkala Ngolo filed a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) after receiving persistent promotional calls and SMS messages from Platinum Credit Limited.

2026-08-17

Mexico’s first‑phase mobile‑ID registration deadline ends; phased service suspension launched

The first‑phase mandatory mobile number real‑name registration deadline set by Mexico’s CRT regulator expired on 15‑08‑2026. Numbers ending in 0 entered a 72‑hour gradual temporary suspension process. 72 million mobile numbers had completed real‑name binding as of 16 August. Implementation proceeds in batches by last digit. Unregistered numbers are not permanently cancelled; service resumes upon completing registration. Users may register via zero‑data operator web portal or physical service centres with valid CURP‑bearing ID; no biometric data is collected. Deadline for numbers ending in 1 is 31 August. Subsequent batches will be suspended every 15‑day cycle until numbers ending in 9 are fully registered.

2026-08-16

Anutin Issues Tough Statement, Elevating Cyber Threats to the National Agenda

Thai Prime Minister Anutin launched the first mobile campaign against cyber threats. He stated in a hoarse voice that as citizens have repeatedly fallen victim to call centre scams and transnational crimes, combating cyber threats has become a national priority. Meanwhile, prominent figure Chaiyanuk admitted he was targeted by a call centre scam even in his office and warned the public to stay vigilant. He noted with pride that such incidents had dropped by more than 50% over eight months.

2026-08-10

Tanzania's Mobile Phone Lines Exceed 116.9 Million

The TCRA's Q4 performance report for the 2025/26 fiscal year shows that as of June 2026, the total number of mobile phone lines in Tanzania had reached 116.9 million.

2026-08-07

Mass Airtel Network Outage Disrupts SMS and Mobile Money Services for Thousands of Users

On August 7, 2026, Airtel Kenya, the country’s second-largest mobile operator, suffered a major network outage that left vast numbers of users seeing "No Signal" or "Emergency Calls Only" on their devices, with all voice calls, SMS and mobile data services knocked out. Complaints began surging at around 11 a.m. and peaked at 1 p.m. Airtel has not issued any official explanation for the incident.

2026-08-06

T2 Filters Enterprise SMS Advertising Content

T2 provides an "SMS Filter" service for both individual and enterprise users, which automatically identifies and blocks suspected advertising and spam SMS. By leveraging algorithms to analyze SMS sender sources and content characteristics, the service helps users reduce unwanted promotional messages while preserving management flexibility for critical business communications. Enterprise users can also activate the service for employee numbers or business SIM cards to minimize disruptions to work communications from unsolicited marketing messages and potential phishing content.

2026-07-27

BTRC of Bangladesh Imposes Heavy Fines on Four Major Operators to Crack Down on Illegal VoIP Abuse of SIM Cards

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), in collaboration with the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre, launched an enforcement operation and found that a total of 8,682 SIM cards were being used for illegal VoIP international termination calls. A combined fine of 86.8 million Bangladeshi taka (approximately USD 710,000) was imposed on the country’s four major mobile operators, with a penalty of 10,000 taka per involved SIM card.

2026-07-21

WASPAN appeals against FCCPC digital‑lending rules, alleging multi‑agency regulatory overlap under DEON

In July 2026, the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) filed an appeal at the Federal Court of Appeal against the lower‑court ruling that upheld FCCPC’s DEON digital‑lending regulations. The DEON regime imposes heavy‑duty compliance obligations including registration, statutory fees, record‑keeping, prior‑approval, annual reporting and audit requirements, with heavy fines for violations. WASPAN argues its members already hold NCC telecom licences; additional FCCPC registration and approval under DEON creates conflicting overlapping jurisdiction. It specifically contests Clause 7, arguing it effectively grants FCCPC telecom‑licensing power and risks disrupting legitimate industry operations.

2026-07-15

MEF Comments on Ofcom’s New Rules for Mobile Scam SMS in the UK

The Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF) published an article on 15 July 2026 analysing the new anti-scam SMS rules issued by UK communications regulator Ofcom. MEF noted that the new rules aim to raise industry security standards, while arguing that regulation should remain proportionate to avoid imposing excessive compliance burdens on the industrial chain.

2026-07-14

Bankrupt Oi Auctions Fixed-line Assets with Ongoing Operational Risks

Long-established Brazilian operator Oi is undergoing judicial bankruptcy proceedings. It sells core fixed-line assets via judicial auction to ease debt burdens yet remains trapped in severe cash flow crunch. The 7th Commercial Court of Rio de Janeiro ruled Oi bankrupt in November 2025, and the company has filed an appeal against the ruling. Prior to this, Oi completed multiple debt restructurings and divested mobile, fiber and tower assets to raise funds.

2026-07-10

Xavier Niel Acquires Vodafone Stake to Reshape European Telecom Landscape

French telecom investor Xavier Niel, via his family acquisition vehicle Vega, has agreed to buy a 16.21% stake in Vodafone from UAE telecom group e& for USD 5.9 billion. Pending regulatory approvals, he will become Vodafone’s largest shareholder. The transaction signals a new round of consolidation and cost-cutting reforms across the European telecom sector.

2026-07-10

Globe Business Provides Enterprise Communications API Services

Globe Business offers martech API solutions that enable enterprises to integrate SMS, automated voice notifications, and prepaid rewards capabilities into their websites, apps, CRMs, and business systems. Its official API page lists three categories of services: m360 SMS API, Voice API, and Load/Rewards API, catering to real-time SMS notifications, automated voice communications, and prepaid airtime or rewards distribution scenarios respectively.

2026-07-07

CRT Plans New Regulation to Combat Spam and Fraud SMS

In July 2026, Norma Solano, President of CRT, revealed in an interview with Punto por punto that the regulator will soon launch a special legislative draft targeting nuisance calls, spam SMS and SMS phishing scams. The draft is open for public consultation. It requires major Mexican mobile operators to upgrade traffic identification and risk control systems and strengthen detection and filtering capabilities for bulk A2P SMS originating overseas. Telcel, AT&T and Movistar are carrying out iterative upgrades to their anti-fraud platforms in parallel.

2026-07-07

Thailand PDPC Releases Draft Guidelines on PDPA Lawful Bases and Marketing Operations

On 7 July 2026, Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Committee Office (PDPC) issued two draft supplementary guidelines under the PDPA, elaborating on “lawful bases for personal data processing” and “marketing and direct marketing”, and launched a public consultation. Although non‑binding for now, the drafts signal future enforcement priorities and serve as a critical reference for marketing activities including A2P marketing SMS.

2026-07-06

VodafoneThree Blocks Over 2 Million Fraudulent SMS Messages for the Banking Sector

VodafoneThree has launched an anti-fraud proof-of-concept project in partnership with multiple banks and industry bodies. Leveraging custom rules on its SMS firewall, the operator achieves large-scale interception of fake bank phishing SMS. This initiative represents a typical cross-sector anti-fraud collaboration between telecoms and finance, with MEF providing secretariat and operational support.

2026-07-02

PTCL Completes Acquisition of Telenor Pakistan and Integrates It into Ufone

In July 2026, Telenor Pakistan was officially merged into Pakistan Telecommunication Mobile Limited (PTML), the operating entity of Ufone, marking the formal completion of one of the largest consolidation deals in Pakistan’s telecommunications history. The merger stems from a share purchase agreement signed by its parent company PTCL in December 2023, under which PTCL acquired 100% stakes in Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers for approximately USD 400 million. All regulatory approvals for the transaction were obtained and the deal was formally closed on December 31, 2025.

2026-06-30

Vietnam Strengthens Real-Name Verification for Mobile Subscribers to Build Digital Security Barriers

Vietnam pushes forward mobile subscriber identity verification under Circular 08/2026/TT‑BKHCN, mandating complete real-name data for mobile numbers to crack down on irregular SIM cards and prevent telecom and online fraud. The work is led by VNTA (Vietnam Telecommunications Authority). The new rules require applicants for new SIM cards, users with conflicting information, and those replacing SIM cards or devices to complete four verification items: ID number, full name, date of birth and facial biometrics.

2026-06-25

Philippine Central Bank Mandates Phasing Out SMS and Email OTPs for Financial Transactions

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has rolled out new regulations requiring eligible financial institutions to phase out one-time passcodes (OTPs) delivered via SMS and email for high-risk financial transactions by June 25, 2026, and replace them with phish-resistant enhanced identity verification methods. The move is designed to curb online financial fraud and strengthen digital banking security protections.

2026-06-24

Smart Blocks Over 955 Million Fraudulent SMS Messages

Smart Communications has blocked more than 955 million fraud- and phishing-related SMS messages and blacklisted nearly 200,000 mobile numbers suspected of fraud in the first quarter of 2026. This indicates that Philippine mobile networks continue to face large-scale malicious SMS campaigns, with operators working to reduce the reach of fraudulent messages to end users through network filtering, number remediation, and risk intelligence analysis.

2026-06-23

ICO Imposes Heavy Penalty on KRA Company for Unlawful A2P Marketing SMS

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a £300,000 fine against Manchester-based KRA Consultancy Limited. This represents a major enforcement action against nuisance marketing in the UK in recent years and demonstrates the stringent regulatory oversight of A2P marketing SMS under PECR.

2026-06-17

Nigeria’s NCC launches first comprehensive A2P SMS tariff review in eight years

In June 2026, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) initiated its first full‑scale Mobile Termination Rate (MTR) review since 2018. The scope goes beyond conventional voice interconnection to include pricing frameworks for A2P SMS and USSD. Driven by naira depreciation, inflation, rising energy costs and shifting business landscape, the existing tariff regime no longer reflects market realities. KPMG has been contracted for a four‑month study adopting the LRIC+ cost methodology, benchmarking against South Africa, Kenya and other peer markets, to build a cost‑driven transparent evidence‑based regulatory pricing framework.

2026-06-16

UK SFO Investigates Collapsed International Telecom Provider IMC

The UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) disclosed in June 2026 that it has launched an investigation into bankrupt British telecom firm Internet Mobile Communications Limited (IMC, also known as Bank of Telecom). Suspected offences include fraud, false accounting and money laundering. The company operated an international voice and messaging trading platform closely linked to the cross‑border A2P SMS industrial chain.

2026-06-15

MobiFone Enforces One-Way Communication Block on 2.6 Million Unverified SIMs

Pursuant to Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology Circular No.08/2026/TT‑BKHCN, MobiFone has applied one-way control to approximately 2.6 million mobile numbers that have not completed real-name identity verification since 15 June 2026, disabling their ability to make outbound calls and send SMS. This is a major implementation step in Vietnam’s nationwide SIM real-name governance campaign.

2026-06-15

Vinaphone Shuts Outbound Call and SMS Functions for Unverified SIM CardsVinaphone Shuts Outbound Call and SMS Functions for Unverified SIM Cards

Pursuant to Vietnam Circular No.08/2026/TT‑BKHCN, Vinaphone disabled outbound calling and outgoing SMS functions for nearly 3 million mobile numbers with incomplete real-name verification starting at 9 a.m. on 15 June 2026. This constitutes a key enforcement measure under Vietnam’s national real-name SIM governance campaign.

2026-06-15

Vietnamese Operators Impose One‑Way Communication Block on Unverified Subscribers

Pursuant to Circular 08/2026/TT‑BKHCN, major Vietnamese mobile operators have enforced one‑way restrictions on mobile numbers with incomplete real‑name verification starting 15 June 2026, disabling outbound calling and SMS sending functions. The measure aims to eliminate irregular SIM cards and mitigate telecom fraud risks.

2026-06-11

Nigerian Federal Court ruling bars financial institutions from sending marketing SMS to non‑customers

On 11 June 2026, Federal High Court of Abuja delivered judgment in Abdulmalik Muhd v. Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), prohibiting financial institutions from dispatching unsolicited marketing SMS to non‑customers, effective 30 June 2026 with NGN 250 000 damages awarded against GTCO. A second case ordered Stanbic IBTC to pay NGN 15 million for marketing to ex‑customers post‑account closure. Both rulings apply the NDPA and constitutional right‑to‑privacy, mandating explicit consent and customer‑non‑customer segregation for A2P SMS marketing.

2026-06-11

SUBTEL submits technical proposal for blocking illegal gambling websites

Chile’s Lotería de Concepción filed a lawsuit in 2024 demanding telecom operators block overseas illegal‑gambling websites. In September 2025, the Supreme Court of Chile ordered ISPs to carry out website blocking. Yet illegal platforms kept creating mirror sites and hampered enforcement. In March 2026, the Santiago Court of Appeals ruled that existing laws do not oblige telecom companies to deploy intrusive active inspection technologies such as Deep Packet Inspection (DPI). The judicial case was closed, and regulatory disputes shifted toward legislative reforms governing online gambling.

2026-06-08

Orange acquires remaining stake in MásOrange to consolidate its Spanish market position

Orange Group has completed a landmark transaction for full acquisition of MásOrange. The deal reshapes the shareholding structure of Spain’s telecom operator and exerts medium‑ and long‑term impacts on A2P messaging wholesale business and operator market landscape.

2026-06-01

CNMC extends SMS‑blocking deadline to 15 September for industry transition

Following representations from telco association DigitalES, CNMC amended Order TDF/558/2026, postponing the mandatory nationwide blocking of unregistered alphanumeric Sender‑ID SMS from 7 June to 15 September 2026 to grant industry compliance‑upgrade lead‑time. Legitimate legacy A2P traffic may circulate during transition, while new rules for RCS registration, LOA verification and alias appeals are introduced. After 15 September, all unregistered alphanumeric senders will be blocked across Spanish networks.

2026-05-28

KDDI Expands Corporate Messaging Service

On May 28, 2026, KDDI launched a ServiceNow integration service for its corporate messaging platform "KDDI Message Cast", enabling enterprises to send SMS directly from the ServiceNow platform for critical notifications, system outage alerts, and emergency communications. The platform supports bulk sending of both SMS and RCS, and offers capabilities including API connectivity, web-based sending, result management, and mis-send prevention, catering to enterprise use cases such as authentication, notifications, debt collection, marketing, and customer service.

2026-05-25

SERNAC issues official letter to investigate violations on 600‑809 number ranges

On 25 May 2026 Chile’s SERNAC sent an official letter to SUBTEL launching inter‑agency joint inspection targeting misuse of dedicated 600 and 809 number ranges in A2P services. Two major defects were identified: marketing traffic misrouted over 600 notification range and legitimate 809 marketing messages being incorrectly blocked. Confirmed violations incur dual sanctions from SUBTEL telecom administration plus fines under consumer‑protection law. Operators and aggregators must segregate 600 notification and 809 marketing traffic links.

2026-05-20

UK Telecoms Fraud Charter Shows Positive Overall Progress Six Months After Launch

The UK Telecoms Fraud Charter was formally signed on 5 November 2025. On 20 May 2026, Security Minister Dan Jarvis released the first statutory six-month progress report, confirming that all workstreams under the Charter are fully operational. B2B telecom initiatives are led by industry body Comms Council UK (CCUK), while mobile operator-related tasks fall under the Communications Crime Strategy Group (CCSG).

2026-05-08

Philippines Continues Crackdown on Illegal SMS Bulk Messaging Device Trade

Philippine regulators have launched multiple crackdowns on illegal SMS bulk messagers. In 2021, the National Telecommunications Commission ordered e-commerce platforms to remove related products from their shelves, and in 2026, the police intensified efforts to crack down on scattered black market transactions to prevent the devices from being used for harassment, fraud and campaign propaganda.

2026-05-07

UK Legislative Ban Targets SIM Card Fraud Devices

The UK has become the first country in Europe to legislate against multi-SIM devices. Such hardware can hold multiple SIM cards simultaneously. Criminals use these devices to send bulk scam SMS and register large volumes of fake verified accounts, making them a key tool for SMS-enabled telecom fraud. Faced with a 19% year-on-year rise in fraud offences, which account for over 40% of all reported crimes in England and Wales, the UK has introduced this dedicated ban.

2026-04-16

Peru MTC releases DL1723 draft regulation for public consultation

On 16 April 2026, Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) published the draft implementing regulation for DL1723, opening a 15‑day public comment period (not yet in force). It translates the parent‑law traceability principles into enforceable technical specifications for operators to counter spoof‑based fraudulent communications, detailing source‑validation mechanisms, cross‑border traceability workflows and administration rules for the dedicated 500 marketing number block. Once finalised, it will complete technical operational standards for A2P services and form the full regulatory regime together with DL1723, Ley N°32323 and OSIPTEL Resolution 000132‑2025‑CD.

2026-04-13

Zalo Dominates Enterprise Messaging Channels in Vietnam

As Vietnam’s homegrown super app, Zalo has outcompeted many overseas communication products over more than a decade and achieved extremely high penetration among Vietnamese internet users. Under regulations issued by Vietnam’s MIC, standard A2P SMS only supports one-way delivery. Enterprises commonly adopt a channel combination strategy of “Zalo first, SMS as backup” for business operations.

2026-04-03

TelComp Lawsuit Prompts Brazilian Court to Suspend 700MHz Spectrum Auction Temporarily

TelComp, the Association of Competitive Telecommunications Service Providers, filed a collective writ of security. The court issued a preliminary injunction to halt Anatel’s planned 700MHz spectrum auction, ruling that the tender rules contain anti‑competitive flaws. The bidding thresholds for the first round limit participation by small and medium telecom providers and favour certain regional operators.

2026-04-01

AAIP Investigates Debt Collection Communications Violator 5 ON LINE S.R.L in Argentina

AAIP launched a special investigation against debt collection firm 5 ON LINE S.R.L in April 2026. This case defines the compliance boundaries for debt-collection A2P SMS and voice services and serves as a strong warning for cross-border debt collection communications businesses.

2026-03-30

Vietnamobile Deploys A2P Security Services

Anam Technologies and HGC announced a partnership to deploy SMS firewall and A2P security management services for the Vietnamobile network. The collaboration aims to boost A2P revenue and improve customer satisfaction through secure messaging infrastructure.

2026-03-26

Claro and Vivo Adopt Different Strategies to Promote RCS Rich Communication Services

Brazil’s two major operators Claro and Vivo are jointly pushing the adoption of RCS Rich Communication Services, yet their implementation strategies differ significantly. RCS serves as a complementary channel to traditional A2P‑SMS to carry part of marketing and enterprise CRM traffic, though it will not fully replace SMS in the short term.

2026-03-24

MTS Enables Businesses to Receive Customer Reply SMS

MTS "Marketer" platform enables businesses to receive inbound SMS sent by customers. Once a business creates and registers a sender ID, customers, employees, or survey respondents can reply to that ID via text message. Businesses can view these replies in their personal platform account, or integrate inbound messages into their own CRM, customer service systems, or business applications via API to enable automated processing and two-way interaction.

2026-03-24

Safaricom Launches M-PESA Phone Number Masking Feature

On March 24, 2026, Safaricom officially rolled out a data minimisation feature on its mobile payment platform M-PESA, which partially masks customer phone numbers in transactions.

2026-03-21

WASPAN releases 2026 Code of Conduct for VAS Service Providers clarifying compliance requirements for A2P SMS services

In March 2026, the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria (WASPAN) issued the 2026 edition of the Code of Conduct for VAS Service Providers, establishing systematic compliance‑operating rules for A2P SMS and voice service providers. Four core obligations are defined: Sender ID registration, DND list scrubbing, user opt‑out mechanism and prohibition against illicit content. Breaching members face suspension of membership and carrier channel shutdown under a dual framework of industry self‑regulation plus operator enforcement, fulfilling NCC’s regulatory expectations for the VAS sub‑sector.

2026-03-13

TRAI’s Proposed Expansion of Regulation to A2P Voice and OTT Sparks Heated Controversy

On March 13, 2026, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released the draft “TCCCPR Third Amendment Regulations, 2026” (Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, Third Amendment), proposing a major expansion of its regulatory scope to cover A2P (Application-to-Person) commercial voice calls and OTT (Over-The-Top) communication applications. The draft introduces a number of new rules: a termination fee of up to 5 paise per minute will be imposed on A2P commercial calls to curb evasion practices where commercial calls are disguised as personal calls; entities using automated calling systems are required to declare their intended use in advance; operators must deploy the AI-powered “UCC Detect” system to identify and flag suspected unsolicited communications in real time; meanwhile, customer consent rules have been tightened, with the exemption allowing commercial communications to be sent on the basis of “prior transactions or inquiries” removed.

2026-03-13

TRAI Revises Rules for Commercial Communications Users

TRAI has published the consultation paper titled “Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (Third Amendment), 2026” under its Quality of Service (QoS) section, seeking industry feedback on commercial SMS, user consent, sender management and spam governance mechanisms. The consultation was released on March 13, 2026, and the page indicates it has now closed. This initiative comes as TRAI continues to review the 2018 TCCCPR framework to address emerging SMS fraud tactics, digital consent processes, number portability, automated messaging and cross-operator collaboration requirements.

2026-03-08

Argentina Conditionally Approves Telecom’s Acquisition of Movistar Mobile Business

Telecom Argentina (parent company of Personal) acquires Telefónica Móviles Argentina (Movistar’s Argentine operations). Argentina’s antitrust authority ANC (formerly CNDC), together with communications regulator ENACOM, granted conditional approval. This merger will generate medium-to-long-term impacts on the local A2P SMS market.

2026-03-06

Judicial penalty precedent: WOM violated Do‑Not‑Disturb platform rules

In March 2026, the Santiago Court of Appeals of Chile handed down a binding ruling. Carrier WOM failed to enforce the blocking obligation for users registered on SERNAC’s “No Molestar” Do‑Not‑Disturb registry and was fined 50 UTM. The precedent mandates automatic black‑list checking and 24‑working‑day removal deadlines for all Chilean A2P players, including traffic originating from compliant 809 number ranges.

2026-03-06

AI empowers Virgin Media O2 to flag one billion suspected scam calls

Virgin Media O2 announced a new milestone in anti-fraud operations. Call Defence, its free AI call protection service developed in partnership with Hiya, has flagged over 1 billion suspected scam and nuisance calls. The service delivers risk alerts before users answer, greatly reducing scam risks. The operator has previously blocked a total of 1 billion scam SMS messages.

2026-02-24

T‑Mobile defines prohibited A2P SMS content and penalty rules

T‑Mobile’s A2P‑SMS policy for US and Canada applies to short‑codes, 10DLC and toll‑free numbers. It lays out prohibited‑content categories, tiered fines, traffic controls and Special Business Review (SBR). Non‑compliance may result in fines, throttling or permanent brand ban. TCR brand‑and‑campaign registration is a mandatory prerequisite.

2026-02-23

ISPA Guides Users to Identify and Report Spam

The Internet Service Providers' Association of South Africa (ISPA) has released spam protection guidelines outlining methods to identify, unsubscribe from, and report spam emails, spam SMS, instant messaging harassment, and social platform promotional messages. ISPA notes that spam generally refers to unsolicited commercial or fraudulent communications sent to a large number of recipients; its risks go beyond mere annoyance, as it may contain phishing links, malware, fake billing, identity theft, and financial fraud.

2026-02-19

ALTON Backs Tariff Reforms and Debt Settlement

The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) stated that the tariff adjustments and settlement of outstanding USSD service arrears spearheaded by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) constitute vital measures to lift the domestic telecom sector out of prolonged financial strain and restore its capacity for network investment. The association argued that over more than a decade, communication tariffs failed to reflect rising costs for fuel, foreign exchange, equipment maintenance and network rollout. Meanwhile, protracted disputes over accumulated USSD fees between banks and operators once created systemic risks to digital financial services.

2026-02-17

i3forum Establishes Anti-Fraud Work Group to Combat A2P SMS Fraud

In 2026, i3forum, a global industry association, launched a dedicated "Messaging Fraud Work Group" to address the growing threat of A2P SMS fraud. The work group aims to benefit the entire telecommunications ecosystem through knowledge sharing, industry insights, and cross-domain collaboration. Prior to this, i3forum’s anti-fraud work group released new "Know Your Customer" (KYC) and "Know Your Traffic" (KYT) guidelines in 2025, helping operators identify and block malicious and fraudulent communications at the source and laying a solid foundation for further action in 2026.

2026-02-10

AEPD fines TALENTO MOTOR S.L. €10 000 for marketing SMS violations

On 20 February 2026, Spain’s AEPD published an administrative penalty decision imposing a total fine of €10 000 against TALENTO MOTOR S.L. for unlawful marketing SMS. Two separate fines of €5 000 were issued for breaches of Articles 21.1 and 21.2 of the LSSI. This case highlights three mandatory compliance obligations for Spanish A2P marketing‑SMS and can be used for internal supplier compliance training by overseas‑operating enterprises.

2026-02-08

Summary of Horizontal Research on A2P‑SMS Risk Control Standards of Mexico’s Three Major Operators

From 2025 to 2026, multiple licensed local Mexican A2P aggregators reported that Telcel, AT&T and Movistar—the three network-owned operators—apply significantly different risk control standards for cross-border A2P SMS. Industry research articles published by Latin American telecom specialist media Mobile Time Latinoamérica and Telesemana fully verify the filtering characteristics of each operator.

2026-02-05

Chile’s SERNAC Reaches Class‑Action Settlement over Bank Debt‑Collection Harassment

On 5 February 2026, Chile’s SERNAC concluded a judicial settlement in the class‑action lawsuit against Scotiabank for abusive debt‑collection practices. This landmark ruling sets weekly contact‑frequency caps for debt‑collection calls and SMS, binding banks, outsourced collectors, A2P service providers and wholesale channel partners.

2026-01-29

Millicom Acquires Equity to Gain Full Control of Tigo Colombia

In January 2026, Millicom won all remaining shares of UNE‑EPM (operating entity of Tigo Colombia) held by Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) through a public auction. The winning bid was announced on 27 January, and the transaction closed on 29 January. Millicom obtained nearly 100% ownership of Tigo Colombia, while EPM exited the telecommunications business.

2026-01-22

New CA Regulation Drastically Reduces Weight of SMS Service Quality Assessment

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) announced a new Quality of Service (QoS) assessment framework in January 2026, introducing significant adjustments to the assessment weights of various telecommunications services. Under the new assessment formula, voice services are assigned a weight of 50%, internet services (including 5G) see their weight increased to 45%, while the weight of SMS services is sharply reduced to just 5%.

2026-01-21

ABR‑Telecom Establishes Centralized Directory for Brazilian SMS Short Codes

With recognition from Anatel and participation by major mobile operators, ABR‑Telecom will build a national central directory system for short codes to strengthen full-chain traceability of A2P‑SMS and curb spam SMS, SMS fraud and misuse.

2026-01-06

Chile’s new draft bill aims to tighten controls over unauthorized marketing communications

Chile’s Ministry of Economy released a draft‑bill PPT in January 2026 proposing amendments to Consumer Protection Law Ley 19.496. It plans to shift from the existing opt‑out framework to opt‑in explicit prior consent to rein in unsolicited marketing SMS and automated voice calls, and standardize caller‑ID for debt‑collection calls. The draft is under parliamentary review and not yet in force. Once enacted, it will overlap with multiple existing regulatory regimes.

2026-01-02

Kenya’s ODPC Imposes Heavy Fine on MOMENTUM Credit for Illegal Marketing SMS

On January 2, 2026, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) of Kenya issued a ruling on Complaint No. 1501/2025, ordering MOMENTUM Credit Limited to pay 500,000 Kenyan shillings (approximately USD 3,870) in compensation to the complainant, Mary Ogwena Immaculate.

2025-12-15

Telecom Merger to Impact Argentina’s A2P SMS Channel Policies

Argentina’s antitrust regulatory requirements together with official corporate statements outline the short-term status and medium-to-long-term integration risks of enterprise A2P SMS channels following Telecom’s acquisition of Movistar’s operations, serving as reference for cross-border SMS business cooperation.

2025-12-12

DigitalES assesses the limitations of the Customer‑Service Act in combating nuisance calls

Spanish telecom industry association DigitalES analyses the pros and cons of the newly enacted Customer‑Service Act for tackling commercial nuisance calls, illustrating practical difficulties in implementing Spain’s regulatory rules for outbound A2P voice calls.

2025-12-08

VoIP Review Interprets the Commercial Value of A2P‑SMS

VoIP Review reports that A2P‑SMS, or Application-to-Person SMS, refers to messages automatically sent from business systems to users’ mobile phones, widely used for OTP verification codes, notifications, reminders and marketing campaigns. This channel has notable strengths: no requirement for internet or mobile apps and extremely high open rates, making it an indispensable tool for enterprise customer communications. Its value will keep growing with advances in AI and two-way messaging capabilities.

2025-11-24

8th JPAAWG General Assembly Focuses on SMS Blasting

In early November 2025, the Japan Anti-Abuse Working Group (JPAAWG) held its 8th General Assembly in Kochi Prefecture. As its international partner, the Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group (M3AAWG) sent multiple members from North America to attend the event. A key focus of the meeting was the topic of "SMS Blasting". In her keynote speech, Tanya Plaza, Chair of the M3AAWG Mobile Committee, noted that M3AAWG was able to learn about this emerging threat in advance precisely thanks to prior information sharing by JPAAWG members. She emphasized that cybercriminals operate without regard to national borders, and the anti-abuse community must therefore be equally global, collaborative, and technically resilient.

2025-11-17

Verizon Releases Operational Rules for 10DLC‑based A2P Messaging

Verizon together with AT&T and T‑Mobile enforces mandatory 10DLC registration. Enterprises must complete brand and campaign registration via TCR; unregistered traffic gets blocked starting February 2025. Compliance requirements align with CTIA best practices and TCPA, covering Opt‑in/Opt‑out, SHAFT content controls and snowshoeing prohibition. Violating campaigns may be suspended; reinstatement requires RCA submission within 48 hours subject to Verizon’s final decision. Throughput caps, carrier surcharges, rate hike for toll‑free SMS effective June 1 2025 and number‑list hygiene obligations are also specified.

2025-11-17

Brazil’s Three Major Carriers Accelerate RCS Deployment on iPhone Terminals

After Vivo took the lead in completing RCS adaptation for iPhones in September 2025, Claro and TIM have accelerated the rollout of Rich Communication Services (RCS) on Apple devices. TIM has launched its beta pilot; users currently need to manually enable the feature in Apple Messages settings, and automatic activation will take effect after testing. Claro plans to launch RCS for iPhones by the end of Q1 2026. Neither operator has officially confirmed this timeline publicly.

2025-11-16

NDPC fines Meta $32.8 million; Meta once threatened to shut down Nigeria‑based services

In February 2025, Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission (NDPC) imposed a USD 32.8 million fine on Meta Platforms Inc., alongside eight corrective orders. Stemming from a multi‑agency joint investigation, Meta also received heavy penalties from FCCPC and ARCON with total fines exceeding USD 290 million. Meta later filed judicial challenges and threatened to discontinue Facebook and Instagram services in the country. The dispute was finally settled out‑of‑court via a confidential settlement agreement dated 30 October 2025.

2025-11-11

i3forum Launches SMS Dispute Contract Clause to Combat AIT Fraud

On November 11, 2025, the anti-fraud working group under i3forum officially launched an SMS dispute contract clause, aiming to provide international operators with a unified and practical framework to address the growing problem of SMS Artificial Inflation of Traffic (AIT) fraud.

2025-11-08

Jazz Improves Call and SMS Blocking Mechanism

Jazz provides paid call and SMS blocking services for both prepaid and postpaid subscribers, and has also announced channels for opting out of marketing communications and reporting spam SMS. Users can manage blocklists and allowlists via 420# to proactively restrict contact from specific numbers, join the "Do Not Call Register" via 3627, or report inappropriate SMS to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) via 9000. These three mechanisms serve the functions of number blocking, marketing opt-out, and spam governance respectively.

2025-11-04

Chile’s Electoral Authority Partners with Operators for General‑Election A2P SMS Broadcast

Chile’s electoral body Servel cooperated with telecom association Chile Telcos and four major mobile operators for A2P SMS outreach for the 2025 presidential and parliamentary election, targeting over 24 million mobile devices. Government notifications use the SUBTEL 600 notification number range, sent directly by carriers without commercial aggregators. No personal‑data exchange occurs between electoral agency and operators. Messages are delivered to all subscribers; receipt does not confer voting rights. This mechanism was first deployed during the 2022 constitutional referendum.

2025-11-03

Virgin Media O2 Blocks Over One Billion Scam SMS Messages in Total

Virgin Media O2 has released its anti-scam results, stating its mobile network has blocked more than 1 billion scam SMS in total, with over 600 million blocked in 2025 alone. The operator built a multi-layer protection system combining technical detection, user reports, cross-industry cooperation and public awareness campaigns, and called on the UK government to boost anti-fraud law enforcement resources and improve the national anti-fraud governance framework.

2025-11-01

CRC Publishes Draft to Strengthen Encryption and AI Voice Anti-Fraud for Financial A2P Services

On 21 November 2025, Colombia’s Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC) released the public consultation draft GAC‑2025‑084 on anti-deepfake voice. It puts forward mandatory requirements on encryption and anti-fraud for A2P services in the financial sector. An interview with CRC commissioners published by Latin American telecom journal Intermedia confirms that this draft ranks among the key regulatory priorities of the year. The document remains open for public consultation and has not yet entered into force as formal legislation.

2025-10-26

CTIA Releases Industry Self‑Regulatory Specifications for Messaging Ecosystem Security

In October 2025, CTIA published Messaging Security Best Practices, a supplementary self‑regulatory document complementing Messaging Principles and Best Practices. Targeting operators, DCA aggregators, CPaaS platforms and message senders, it addresses risks including spam, account compromise, SIM‑device abuse and API‑credential leakage. Though lacking federal legal force, it serves as key practical guidance for US major carriers on risk control, message filtering and account enforcement. SHAFT‑category content is marked for priority blocking.

2025-10-10

True Completes DTAC Network Integration, Reshaping Thailand’s Telecom Market Landscape

Thailand’s True Corporation fully rolled out its “One Network” programme in 2025, completing the core infrastructure integration following the 2023 merger between True and DTAC. The combined entity holds roughly 54% market share and forms a mobile duopoly with AIS, directly changing the underlying carrier ecosystem for A2P SMS and enterprise communications.

2025-09-15

CTIA and Verizon Partner to Launch Brand Caller ID (BCID) Service in the U.S.

On September 15, 2025, CTIA – the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association of the U.S. – announced that it has signed an agreement with Verizon to deploy Brand Caller ID (BCID) technology on Verizon’s mobile network, so as to enhance the credibility of enterprise outbound calls and prevent number spoofing fraud.

2025-09-12

Chilean Operators Deliver National‑Day Public‑Safety A2P SMS Broadcast

Chile’s Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications partnered with industry association Chile Telcos. Between 11‑20 September 2025 for national‑day celebrations, operators broadcast road‑safety public‑service A2P SMS to roughly 25 million mobile terminals. Government‑originated public‑interest notifications use the SUBTEL 600 number range and are sent directly by operators without commercial aggregators. These public‑benefit communications are exempt from 809 marketing‑range rules and the “No Molestar” do‑not‑disturb blacklist; no private‑user data is collected or processed.

2025-08-25

TCRA Issues New Guidelines for Bulk SMS Control During General Elections

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) issued new guidelines on bulk SMS distribution during the general election in August 2025, imposing strict regulations on bulk SMS sending before, during and after the 2025 general election.

2025-08-19

NBTC 2023 Annual Report Discloses Thailand’s Results on Spam and Fraud SMS Remediation

Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) summarised the outcomes of its campaign against spam and scam SMS in the 2023 Annual Report, providing empirical data to support subsequent A2P SMS regulatory policies. NBTC blocked 79,893 Sender‑Names and 210,699 risky numbers mostly used for marketing spam and phishing A2P messages. The 2023 regime relied mainly on post-hoc blocking, while the 2025 rules shifted to pre-registration, link verification and foreign SMS marking, raising compliance obligations for cross-border A2P operators.

2025-08-19

AIS Assists Police in Solving Two Cases of Scam SMS via Vehicle-Mounted Fake Base Stations

Thai mobile operator AIS supported law enforcement in cracking down on criminal gangs using vehicle-mounted fake base stations to distribute fraudulent SMS. Two separate cases were uncovered in 2025: two Chinese nationals arrested in January and two Thai suspects hired by overseas scam rings apprehended in August. Mobile fake base stations hidden inside modified vehicles broadcast phishing SMS around urban shopping districts, posing threats to public property safety. Such mobile fake base stations remain a persistent criminal risk beyond regulated legitimate A2P channels in Thailand.

2025-08-13

Movistar Implements SUBTEL Regulatory Rules for 600‑809 Number Ranges

The SUBTEL regulatory regime for 600/809 number ranges entered full mandatory force on 13 August 2025. Movistar Chile completed network‑wide switch upgrades as one of the first operators to enforce the rules. The 600 range applies to authorised notification‑type A2P traffic, while 809 is reserved for marketing SMS and automated calls with written user opt‑in. Mis‑allocation may trigger SMPP port shutdown and administrative fines up to 5000 UTM. Collection SMS must use 600, yet a 2026 Supreme Court ruling exempts collection voice calls from number‑range obligations though time‑of‑day and frequency limits still apply. Part of Chile’s National Digital Security Agenda, the framework allows end‑users to file complaints with SUBTEL against non‑compliant bulk commercial communications.

2025-08-01

MTS Allows Users to Block Bulk SMS Messages

MTS has launched a free "Reject Bulk SMS" service to help users block advertisements, promotional messages and other bulk SMS. The service is available to all tariff plans on MTS's Russian network. Once activated by a user, the operator will block identifiable bulk SMS to reduce disruptions caused by spam and unsolicited commercial communications.

2025-08-01

T2 Enables Users to Opt Out of Bulk SMS

In compliance with the amendments to Russia’s "Communications Law", T2 provides users with channels to opt out of bulk SMS. Starting from August 1, 2025, users shall have the right to refuse bulk messages and advertising SMS delivered via short codes and alphanumeric sender IDs. Users may submit an application by presenting their ID card at a T2 retail store, or via the online customer service chat; the operator will cease relevant bulk deliveries on the next calendar day following the submission of the application.

2025-07-28

Telefónica plans to divest Movistar telecom operations in Mexico

Telefónica has entered into exclusive sale negotiations for its Mexican Movistar business with prospective buyer Beyond ONE. The transaction forms part of the group’s strategy to withdraw from Spanish‑speaking American markets. Subject to local regulatory approval, wholesale services including A2P SMS will remain unchanged during the transition period. However, the new investor may revise commercial terms upon completion of the deal, requiring enterprises to guard against contractual risks. The transaction will affect more than 2 000 employees and a large base of end‑users, who may later be migrated to the Virgin Mobile brand.

2025-07-22

WASPA Strengthens Mobile Service Compliance Rules

On July 22, 2025, the Wireless Application Service Providers Association (WASPA) of South Africa launched Version 17.14 of its Code of Conduct, further standardizing rules governing mobile content, subscriptions, bulk SMS, direct marketing, and complaint handling. The new version focuses on extending the retention period for key business records and maintains the fast-track alert resolution mechanism, requiring members to promptly implement corrective actions upon receiving WASPA compliance notices, thereby enhancing consumer protection and industry self-regulation.

2025-06-25

Vietnamese Government Approves VNPT Merger of Its Two Subsidiaries

On 25 June 2025, the Vietnamese Government issued Resolution No.186/NQ‑CP, approving VNPT Group’s merger of its wholly-owned subsidiaries Vinaphone and VNPT‑Media into the parent company. The state-owned enterprise restructuring aims to streamline organisational structure and improve operational efficiency, and may bring potential changes to the A2P SMS service interconnection model.

2025-06-13

TDLC Ruling Finds WOM Abused Dominant Position in A2P SMS Market

Chile’s Tribunal for the Defence of Free Competition (TDLC) issued a landmark antitrust ruling in June 2025. Operator WOM was deemed to hold dominant market power over on‑net A2P SMS termination services; its 67‑fold surge of wholesale termination rates for international A2P SMS qualified as abuse of dominance. Penalties include fines and bill readjustment. Delayed short‑code approvals were not classified as anti‑competitive conduct. This judicial precedent sets fair‑price benchmarks, mandates tariff filing with FNE, bans discriminatory over‑charging and governs all SMPP‑based partnerships.

2025-06-01

AAIP Sanctions Operator Claro for Non-compliant Marketing Communications

AAIP received a total of 498 user complaints. Investigations confirmed that AMX Argentina persistently sent marketing SMS and voice calls to numbers registered on the national “No Llame” Do Not Call Registry, in breach of the No Llame Act (Ley 26.951). The operator also failed to submit required documentation to AAIP as mandated by regulators, violating relevant provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act Ley 25.326. The authority imposed an administrative fine of 44.9 million Argentine pesos, equivalent to approximately 33,000 US dollars at that time.

2025-06-01

9mobile Roams Nationwide on MTN Network

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved 9mobile to launch nationwide roaming services over MTN’s network. Starting from June 2025, 9mobile subscribers can access voice calls, SMS and mobile data via MTN’s infrastructure in areas with poor or no native 9mobile coverage. The partnership enables 9mobile to improve user experience at lower cost and aligns with the regulator’s policy to boost infrastructure sharing and efficient spectrum utilisation.

2025-05-21

Airtel Nigeria launches AI‑powered spam SMS blocking system

In early 2025, Nigerian telecom operator Airtel Nigeria pioneered an AI‑driven "Spam SMS Alert" service designed to proactively identify and block suspicious text messages.

2025-05-19

MTS Helps Users Block Nuisance Calls

MTS’s "Blacklist" service allows users to add numbers they do not wish to answer to a blocking list. Numbers added to the blacklist will be unable to place normal calls to the user. The service is intended for individual users who wish to reduce nuisance calls, telemarketing calls, misdialed debt collection calls, scam calls, or other unwanted communications. Users can manage their blacklist via channels including the mobile app, personal account, USSD menu, or SMS.

2025-04-28

Airtel Launches AI-Powered SMS Spam Alert Service

AIRTEL Tanzania officially launched the AI-based SMS spam alert service "Airtel Spam Alert – Kataa Matapeli" in Dar es Salaam on April 28, 2025.

2025-04-25

Thailand Builds DE‑FENCE Anti-Fraud Platform via Multi-Agency Joint Prevention Cooperation

On 25 April 2025, the Thai Telecommunications Association (TCC) and multiple telecom operators signed an MOU to develop the national DE‑FENCE anti-fraud platform. Led by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and joined by 15 stakeholders including NBTC, law enforcement and financial institutions, the platform detects scam calls and risky SMS, supports cross-agency number verification, and shares blacklists of risky Sender‑IDs to strengthen A2P traffic identification and interception.

2025-04-21

Vietnam’s Three Major Operators Join Forces with API Technology to Combat Cyber Fraud

At the 2025 GSMA Digital Summit in Hanoi, Mobifone, Viettel and VNPT of Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding to build a platform under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative using CAMARA open APIs to fight cyber fraud. Viettel joined the programme back in February 2024, while Mobifone and VNPT became new participants. The parties will jointly develop standardized APIs for identity verification, anti-fraud, location services, device validation and payments to enable cross-industry collaboration against telecom scams.

2025-04-15

Thailand Tightens A2P SMS Regulation; LINE and WhatsApp Dominate Dual-Track Messaging Market

Infobip’s Instant Messaging Trends Report analysed over 530 billion business-to-consumer interactions in 2024 and revealed strong growth of conversational messaging in Thailand. From October 2025, NBTC mandated sender ID pre-registration and warning labels for international SMS. WhatsApp and LINE form the mainstream OTT channels, while SMS becomes a fallback channel for OTP and transaction alerts, subject to PDPA consent requirements.

2025-04-01

Resolution CRC‑7753 Sets Wholesale SMS Price Cap in Colombia

In April 2025, Colombia’s CRC issued Resolución CRC 7753 de 2025, amending Clause 4.3.2.10 of the CRC 5050 Code. The resolution establishes a statutory wholesale termination price cap for SMS on Colombian mobile networks and regulates SMS settlement rules between the four major mobile operators and integrators.

2025-03-27

African telecom giants MTN and Airtel sign Nigeria network‑sharing agreement

On 26‑03‑2025, MTN Group and Airtel Africa inked network‑infrastructure‑sharing deals for Nigeria and Uganda. Together they hold over 85 % of Nigeria’s telecom market. By sharing base stations and fibre assets, they cut capital & operating expenditure, offset forex losses from Naira depreciation and boost rural coverage, while improving cross‑network delivery performance for A2P SMS. Commercial and brand‑level competition remains intact. The operators are evaluating rolling out the model to Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Zambia, signalling a shift toward co‑opetition across African telecom.

2025-03-20

Vodacom Deletes Fraudulent Numbers and Bans Associated Devices

Following the discovery of vishing scams where perpetrators impersonate "Vodacom Rewards" staff, Vodacom has deleted the mobile numbers involved and blacklisted the IMEI numbers of associated devices. This measure targets scammers who use the pretext of rewards, prize wins or promotions to demand so-called handling fees, personal information or fund transfers from users, and aims to prevent the relevant numbers and devices from being used for further fraudulent activities on the Vodacom network.

2025-03-18

Halotel Substantially Reduces SIM Box Fraud by Implementing LATRO Solutions

Halotel, a mobile operator in Tanzania, has delivered remarkable results in combating SIM box fraud and scam fraud since partnering with LATRO, a provider of telecom fraud management solutions, in 2022. According to a success case published on LATRO's official website, Halotel's infection rate of SIM box fraud and scam fraud has dropped from 12.4% to 1.3%, and the number of detected fraudulent SIM cards has decreased by 68%.

2025-03-05

ANATEL’s Regulatory Assessment of the A2P SMS Market

Anatel completed a dedicated market assessment for enterprise A2P bulk SMS while revising the PGMC General Plan for Competition Objectives. Although the A2P‑SMS market generates nearly USD 500 million in annual revenue, with OTP verification and transaction notifications driving new growth, the regulator concluded A2P‑SMS does not qualify as a “relevant market”. It will not be subject to dedicated ex-ante regulation, and no mandatory special market entry or price controls will be imposed.

2025-02-01

Nigeria Raises Local SMS Prices

According to Nigeria’s SMS pricing guideline, the standard retail rate for local SMS rose generally from ₦4 to around ₦6 per message in 2025. Pricing for bulk corporate SMS and international SMS API services varies significantly depending on sending volume, carrier networks, route quality and service providers. Enterprises sending verification codes, transaction alerts, logistics notifications and marketing messages need to factor local tariffs, gateway fees, compliance requirements and actual delivery rates into their SMS budgets.

2025-01-17

TCRA Quarterly Report Shows Decline in Fraudulent SIM Cards But Rising Risks for Some Operators

According to the latest quarterly industry performance report from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), between October and December 2024, TCRA deactivated and blacklisted a total of 12,896 SIM cards suspected of being used in fraudulent activities. Releasing the report in Dar es Salaam, TCRA Director General Dr. Jabiri Bakari noted that the number of mobile fraud incidents fell by 19% compared to the previous quarter — the number of blacklisted SIM cards dropped from 16,002 in July–September 2024 to 12,896 in October–December, a reduction of 3,106 lines.

2025-01-16

True Discusses Joint Anti-Fraud War Room with Thai Police

On 16 January 2025, senior executives of True Corporation held talks with leaders of Thailand’s Royal Thai Police. The two sides plan to set up a joint anti-fraud “War Room” within the police agency to enable government-enterprise data collaboration, focusing on call centre scams, SIM‑Box devices, anomalous calls and fraudulent SMS, to curb telecom crimes and reduce public financial losses.

2025-01-16

Jio Lets Users Block Marketing SMS and Calls

In compliance with TRAI’s commercial communication regulations, Reliance Jio provides users with the “Do Not Disturb” (DND) service. Users can register for full rejection of commercial calls and promotional SMS via the MyJio App, Jio account settings, dialing 1909, or sending “START 0” by SMS to 1909. After submitting the request, users will receive a confirmation message containing a unique registration number, and DND preferences are typically updated within 24 hours.

2025-01-15

Completion of Acquisition by SUR Holdings Enables WOM Restructuring and Debt Resolution

Colombian operator WOM (operating entity Partners Telecom Colombia S.A.S.) filed for debt restructuring in April 2024 in accordance with Law 1116 of 2006. Anglo-American investment group SUR Holdings completed the acquisition of controlling interests, saving the carrier from judicial liquidation and bankruptcy. The restructuring plan was formally approved on 17 July 2025, covering approximately USD 800 million of restructured debt with a maximum repayment term of 18 years.

2025-01-10

COAI Urges DoT to Adopt TRAI’s International Traffic Definition to Boost Operator SMS Revenue

On January 8, 2025, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) wrote to the Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), urging the DoT to adopt the new definition of "international traffic" proposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Prior to this, TRAI had issued clear definitional recommendations on the matter in December 2024. Under TRAI’s definition, any SMS that is originated or terminated on an electronic device, computer server, or application outside India will be classified as international traffic. Specifically for A2P SMS, TRAI further clarified that any inbound A2P SMS whose generation, transmission, or reception involves an electronic device or system located outside India shall be deemed an international SMS.

2024-12-27

TELKODER Submits Industry Comments on BTK Telecommunications Regulatory Draft

Turkish telecom association TELKODER submitted feedback on BTK’s draft telecom regulation. It raised objections to four provisions concerning operators’ marketing rights, fixed-line number management, and the URL ban on inbound cross-border A2P SMS. The association argued certain clauses would disrupt industry operations and cause losses for end users, recommending their removal.

2024-12-11

TRAI Rejects Unregistered SMS Routing

TRAI has announced the rollout of an end-to-end routing traceability mechanism for commercial SMS in India. Effective December 11, 2024, commercial SMS messages for which the transmission chain has not been registered and bound will be rejected for delivery by telecom operators. The measure requires enterprises, banks, government agencies and other principal entities, as well as the SMS aggregators and delivery service providers they engage, to register the complete transmission path of messages from the sending source to the final operator on the blockchain-based DLT platform.

2024-12-11

Japanese Carriers Join Forces to Block SMS Phishing

According to SoftBank's coverage of the JPAAWG meeting, Japan's four major mobile operators — NTT Docomo, KDDI, Rakuten Mobile, and SoftBank — are jointly strengthening protection against SMS phishing scams. The carriers are working to reduce the risk of users clicking on forged links, disclosing personal information, or installing malware by taking measures such as enabling risk SMS filtering by default, sharing threat intelligence, identifying infected terminals, and promoting common short codes and official RCS accounts.

2024-11-11

Japanese Government Advances Governance of Communication Misuse

Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) introduced the "Countermeasures Against Improper Use of Telecommunication Services" at the 7th General Assembly of JPAAWG, with a focus on addressing phishing emails, SMS phishing scams, malware-infected terminals, and abused communication tools. The government holds that once basic communication services such as calls, emails, and SMS are exploited by fraud rings, they will not only cause losses of personal information and funds, but also erode public trust in digital services and cashless payments. Therefore, sustained collaboration among the government, operators, platforms, and security organizations is required.

2024-10-23

TCRA Deploys SMS Monitoring System to Crack Down on SMS Fraud

In October 2024, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) announced that it has deployed an SMS recording and monitoring system across all mobile networks in Tanzania to record and monitor all SMS traffic, with the aim of identifying routes used for online fraud.

2024-09-27

Tanzania’s Central Bank Mandates Lenders to Display Official Names in A2P SMS

On September 25, 2024, the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) issued the "Guidelines for Digital Lenders under Tier II Microfinance Service Providers", which set out clear, mandatory requirements for A2P SMS transmissions: all digital lending platforms must clearly display the institutional name listed on their central bank-issued license when sending A2P messages such as OTPs (One-Time Passwords) and transaction notifications, and are prohibited from using vague or unrelated sender IDs. This requirement aims to enhance the transparency and credibility of SMS origins, help users identify legitimate financial institutions, and effectively guard against fraud and phishing attacks.

2024-09-24

GSMA Plans Cross‑Platform End‑to‑End Encryption for RCS Messaging

On 24 September 2024, the GSMA released a technical proposal aiming to deliver interoperable end‑to‑end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between Android and iOS devices, marking a major milestone for RCS standardisation. Native RCS lacks built‑in E2EE; Google and Apple have respective relevant technical roadmaps, and the MLS protocol is also under consideration. Multi‑stakeholder industry collaboration builds the RCS security framework, protecting consumer privacy and laying a solid security foundation for RBM (RCS‑A2P) business messaging.

2024-07-10

BT Reports Significant Drop in A2P Smishing Messages

Commsrisk published a report on 10 July 2024. UK carrier BT revealed that A2P smishing volumes on its network have fallen by 83% since March 2023, achieved through multi-stakeholder anti-fraud initiatives.

2024-07-09

Rakuten Automatically Blocks Fraudulent SMS and Calls

Rakuten Mobile launched two anti-fraud services on July 9, 2024: "Nuisance Call & SMS Countermeasures by Whoscall" and "Nuisance SMS Rejection Setting". The former is an optional service priced at 330 yen per month, which identifies incoming call numbers and automatically blocks high-risk calls. The latter is automatically provided free of charge to eligible users of the "Rakuten Saikyo Plan", and it identifies messages containing phishing sites, malicious apps, or suspicious numbers and rejects their delivery before users receive the SMS.

2024-05-30

SoftBank Discontinues Services for Select Telephone Prefixes

SoftBank has announced that it will discontinue services for select domestic and international telephone service identification codes (prefixes), including 0061, 0041, 0083 and 0084, effective May 31, 2024. This adjustment primarily affects enterprises and users that prepend the specified prefixes to the called party’s number to select a telephone service provider when making calls via NTT East Japan, NTT West Japan landline networks or the INS network. This notice does not involve SMS messaging services themselves.

2024-05-20

Rakuten Launches Free Spam SMS Blocking Service

Rakuten Mobile has announced that it will roll out its free "Suspicious SMS Rejection Setting" service to eligible individual users starting July 9, 2024. The feature automatically analyzes sender numbers, URLs and phone numbers contained in SMS text before messages reach the user’s device to identify potential phishing scams or malicious app lures. When a message is flagged as high-risk, it will be blocked from delivery, reducing the risk of users accidentally clicking malicious links, having their personal data compromised, or falling victim to financial fraud.

2024-04-05

Industry Analysis: A2P SMS Still Retains Commercial Value

Orange‑Wholesale releases an industry insight report. Against competition from WhatsApp Business, flash call verification, RCS and other messaging channels, it analyses the irreplaceable strengths of A2P SMS, identifies two major industry pain points‑rising tariffs and rampant fraud, and sets evaluation criteria for enterprises to select A2P service providers. Supported by global statistics, the report forecasts the development timeline of various messaging channels and lists key security capabilities for qualified vendors.

2024-03-26

Spain Approves Orange‑MásMóvil Merger to Create MásOrange

The equal‑terms merger between Orange and MásMóvil closed in March 2024, forming MásOrange with 50‑50 shareholding and making it Spain’s largest telecom operator. EU antitrust remedies oblige divestment of 60 MHz spectrum to Digi Spain to sustain market competition. The merged entity inherits full PRO qualifications from both predecessors, can independently process CNMC Alias sender‑ID registrations, and becomes one of Spain’s four self‑built MNOs with registration authority, reshaping domestic A2P messaging competition.

2024-03-22

NTT Com Online Launches 2Way SMS Two-Way Messaging Service

On March 22, 2024, NTT Com Online Marketing Solutions Corporation announced the launch of its "2Way SMS" two-way messaging service. The service enables real-time two-way interactive communication between enterprises and customers, and can be applied to scenarios such as promotional campaigns, customer support, and appointment confirmations. A key highlight of the service is its use of a Common Short Code jointly issued by Japan’s four major mobile operators (NTT DOCOMO, KDDI, SoftBank, and Rakuten Mobile), allowing enterprises to provide customers with a single unified short code.

2024-03-01

MegaFon Blocks Spam SMS via SMS Filter

MegaFon offers the "SMS Filter" (SMS-фильтр) value-added service, which identifies and blocks incoming SMS messages containing advertising content or that users do not wish to receive. The service can automatically add senders to a blacklist or whitelist based on MegaFon’s analytical findings. Users can also manage these lists independently via the service website: they can blacklist numeric or alphanumeric senders from whom they do not wish to receive messages, and whitelist important senders such as banks and transaction notification providers.

2024-02-25

Globe Teleservices and Tigo Tanzania Form Exclusive Partnership for A2P SMS Firewall

Globe Teleservices Pte. Ltd., a global telecommunications solutions provider, has entered into an exclusive strategic alliance with Honora Tanzania PLC (TIGO, now rebranded as Yas), a Tanzanian mobile network operator under the AXIAN Telecom Group. TIGO Tanzania has selected Globe Teleservices’ advanced intelligent A2P SMS firewall solution to protect its international application-to-person (A2P) traffic delivery from revenue losses caused by SMS fraud.

2024-01-25

Mexican Operators Sign Agreement to Jointly Combat Mobile SMS Spam

On 25 January 2024, witnessed by Mexico’s Federal Consumer Protection Agency PROFECO, multiple major mobile telecommunications operators signed the Agreement on Preventive Actions Against Spam in Mobile Communications to jointly tackle unwanted messages. The agreement sets control rules focusing on A2P application SMS and aims to build a safer mobile communications environment.

2023-09-01

Globe Removes Web Links from Official SMS Messages

To combat SMS scams involving forged sender ID "8080", Globe has begun removing clickable links from its official customer notifications. This measure targets scammers who impersonate Globe’s SMS channels using fake base stations or IMSI Catchers. Users who receive SMS messages containing links from "8080" or "Globe" should treat them as high-risk, rather than clicking directly or submitting personal information.

2023-07-18

Viettel Solutions Becomes Meta’s A2P SMS Service Provider in Vietnam

On 18 July 2023, Viettel Solutions, a subsidiary of Viettel Group, signed a cooperation agreement with Meta and officially became Meta’s official A2P SMS service provider in Vietnam. The direct interconnection between both platforms improves SMS interaction quality and communication security for Vietnamese users of Meta’s social platforms.

2022-12-25

Acquisition of Oi Mobile Assets Reshapes Brazil’s Mobile Communications Market

Brazilian operator Oi’s mobile assets are jointly acquired by TIM, Vivo and Claro. This transaction directly reshapes the competitive landscape of Brazil’s mobile market and carries important implications for A2P-SMS aggregators regarding channel selection, testing and traffic distribution. Brazil’s antitrust authority CADE approved the acquisition with conditions. After closing, Brazil’s mobile market shrinks from four major carriers to three. Oi’s existing mobile subscribers are split and migrated by geographic region: TIM takes 14.5 million users, Claro 11.6 million and Vivo 10.5 million. The total transaction value is approximately 15.9 billion reais (equivalent to USD 3.4 billion).

2022-07-19

Ufone Releases "Code of Commercial Conduct"

Ufone has released its "Code of Commercial Conduct", committing to transparent disclosure of products, tariffs, packages and service terms, and handling user complaints in accordance with Pakistan's telecommunications consumer protection rules. The code covers advertising communication, billing and tariffs, number management, network quality, privacy protection, service outages and anti-spam measures, emphasizing that users should be able to access assistance through multiple channels such as hotlines, service centers, written channels, social media and web chat.

2019-05-07

Chile Launches the “No Molestar” Do‑Not‑Disturb Consumer Platform

Chile’s Ministry of Economy together with SERNAC rolled out the “No Molestar” do‑not‑disturb platform in May 2019 to centralize consumer opt‑out requests for marketing SMS, calls and push notifications. Companies must cease marketing communications within 24 working hours upon receiving opt‑out. Integrated with SUBTEL 600/809 number‑range rules, all A2P aggregators and SPs are mandated to connect to this blacklist. Debt‑collection and non‑advertising transactional messages are exempt; firms still remain obligated to maintain native opt‑out channels under consumer‑protection law.

Industry News

Brazilian Law Mandates Operators to Block Gambling Websites Effective October 6

Market Share of Domestic Mobile Voice and SMS Traffic in Kenya

Peru Launches Exclusive 500 Number Range, Mandates Its Use for Commercial Calls and Commercial SMS

Orange Group Retires MásOrange Brand, Renames Spanish Entity to Orange España

Chile Orders Blocking of 37 Domains Linked to Illegal Online Gambling

Russia Develops Homegrown Super App MAX to Divert Traditional A2P SMS Traffic

Russian Government Services Platform Госуслуgi Phases Out Mobile SMS Login Verification

Russia Pushes for Adoption of Domestic IM Tool MAX as a Channel for Business Verification Code Notifications

Nigeria’s NCC Launches Device Management System to Strengthen SIM Device Type Approval

MTN Nigeria Surpasses 100 Million Users, Nationwide Mobile Lines Reach 195.11 Million

Argentina Telecom Merger Approved, Metrotel to Take Over Over 6 Million Mobile Subscribers

Following Ufone-Telenor Merger, Proposal Submitted to Rebrand as e&

Telefónica switches buyer to advance sale of Mexico‑based Movistar

Philippine NTC Proposes National ID as Sole Valid Document for SIM Registration

MTN’s acquisition of IHS receives conditional regulatory approval in Nigeria

Kenyan Operators Mandate Pre-Registered Sender IDs for A2P SMS

Turkey Bans Gambling, Political, Religious and P2P Content in A2P SMS

Kenya High Court Upholds Million-Shilling Fine Against Platinum Credit

Mexico’s first‑phase mobile‑ID registration deadline ends; phased service suspension launched

Anutin Issues Tough Statement, Elevating Cyber Threats to the National Agenda

Tanzania's Mobile Phone Lines Exceed 116.9 Million

Mass Airtel Network Outage Disrupts SMS and Mobile Money Services for Thousands of Users

T2 Filters Enterprise SMS Advertising Content

BTRC of Bangladesh Imposes Heavy Fines on Four Major Operators to Crack Down on Illegal VoIP Abuse of SIM Cards

WASPAN appeals against FCCPC digital‑lending rules, alleging multi‑agency regulatory overlap under DEON

MEF Comments on Ofcom’s New Rules for Mobile Scam SMS in the UK

Bankrupt Oi Auctions Fixed-line Assets with Ongoing Operational Risks

Xavier Niel Acquires Vodafone Stake to Reshape European Telecom Landscape

Globe Business Provides Enterprise Communications API Services

CRT Plans New Regulation to Combat Spam and Fraud SMS

Thailand PDPC Releases Draft Guidelines on PDPA Lawful Bases and Marketing Operations

VodafoneThree Blocks Over 2 Million Fraudulent SMS Messages for the Banking Sector

PTCL Completes Acquisition of Telenor Pakistan and Integrates It into Ufone

Vietnam Strengthens Real-Name Verification for Mobile Subscribers to Build Digital Security Barriers

Philippine Central Bank Mandates Phasing Out SMS and Email OTPs for Financial Transactions

Smart Blocks Over 955 Million Fraudulent SMS Messages

ICO Imposes Heavy Penalty on KRA Company for Unlawful A2P Marketing SMS

Nigeria’s NCC launches first comprehensive A2P SMS tariff review in eight years

UK SFO Investigates Collapsed International Telecom Provider IMC

MobiFone Enforces One-Way Communication Block on 2.6 Million Unverified SIMs

Vinaphone Shuts Outbound Call and SMS Functions for Unverified SIM CardsVinaphone Shuts Outbound Call and SMS Functions for Unverified SIM Cards

Vietnamese Operators Impose One‑Way Communication Block on Unverified Subscribers

Nigerian Federal Court ruling bars financial institutions from sending marketing SMS to non‑customers

SUBTEL submits technical proposal for blocking illegal gambling websites

Orange acquires remaining stake in MásOrange to consolidate its Spanish market position

CNMC extends SMS‑blocking deadline to 15 September for industry transition

KDDI Expands Corporate Messaging Service

SERNAC issues official letter to investigate violations on 600‑809 number ranges

UK Telecoms Fraud Charter Shows Positive Overall Progress Six Months After Launch

Philippines Continues Crackdown on Illegal SMS Bulk Messaging Device Trade

UK Legislative Ban Targets SIM Card Fraud Devices

Peru MTC releases DL1723 draft regulation for public consultation

Zalo Dominates Enterprise Messaging Channels in Vietnam

TelComp Lawsuit Prompts Brazilian Court to Suspend 700MHz Spectrum Auction Temporarily

AAIP Investigates Debt Collection Communications Violator 5 ON LINE S.R.L in Argentina

Vietnamobile Deploys A2P Security Services

Claro and Vivo Adopt Different Strategies to Promote RCS Rich Communication Services

MTS Enables Businesses to Receive Customer Reply SMS

Safaricom Launches M-PESA Phone Number Masking Feature

WASPAN releases 2026 Code of Conduct for VAS Service Providers clarifying compliance requirements for A2P SMS services

TRAI’s Proposed Expansion of Regulation to A2P Voice and OTT Sparks Heated Controversy

TRAI Revises Rules for Commercial Communications Users

Argentina Conditionally Approves Telecom’s Acquisition of Movistar Mobile Business

Judicial penalty precedent: WOM violated Do‑Not‑Disturb platform rules

AI empowers Virgin Media O2 to flag one billion suspected scam calls

T‑Mobile defines prohibited A2P SMS content and penalty rules

ISPA Guides Users to Identify and Report Spam

ALTON Backs Tariff Reforms and Debt Settlement

i3forum Establishes Anti-Fraud Work Group to Combat A2P SMS Fraud

AEPD fines TALENTO MOTOR S.L. €10 000 for marketing SMS violations

Summary of Horizontal Research on A2P‑SMS Risk Control Standards of Mexico’s Three Major Operators

Chile’s SERNAC Reaches Class‑Action Settlement over Bank Debt‑Collection Harassment

Millicom Acquires Equity to Gain Full Control of Tigo Colombia

New CA Regulation Drastically Reduces Weight of SMS Service Quality Assessment

ABR‑Telecom Establishes Centralized Directory for Brazilian SMS Short Codes

Chile’s new draft bill aims to tighten controls over unauthorized marketing communications

Kenya’s ODPC Imposes Heavy Fine on MOMENTUM Credit for Illegal Marketing SMS

Telecom Merger to Impact Argentina’s A2P SMS Channel Policies

DigitalES assesses the limitations of the Customer‑Service Act in combating nuisance calls

CNMC extends SMS‑blocking deadline to 15 September for industry transition

AEPD fines TALENTO MOTOR S.L. €10 000 for marketing SMS violations