Traffic Analytics: Index

November 2011

Will Apple Take a Bite Out of Carrier SMS Revenues? Likely.

by Brian Silvestri

Text messaging generates $20 billion of revenue each year for U.S. carriers alone. But Apple’s lastest iPhones come with iMessage, a free embedded messaging service. But while the long term threat to SMS revenue is clear, what strategies should operators be following today? This article discusses the many factors operators need to consider, offering advice on how mobile operators can keep SMS profits rolling in as long as possible.

October 2011

Least Cost Routing and Rate Audits Not Delivering the Savings You Expected? Here’s Maybe Why

by Brian Silvestri

Least cost routing (LCR) is supposed to be one of telecom’s greatest cost-saving innovations. Yet Connectiv Solution’s research suggests that the LCR programs at many U.S. carriers are losing millions of dollars. The story explains the traffic analytics steps service providers must take to ensure profitable LCR and other cost assurance programs.

Recent Articles

TEOCO Brings Bottom Line Savings & Efficiency to Inter-Carrier Billing and Accounting with Machine Learning & Contract Scanning — interview with Jacob Howell — Learn the challenges and benefits of developing of new Machine Learning and Computer Vision system for wholesale billing accounting and inter-carrier contract reading.
PRISM Report on IPRN Trends 2020: An Analysis of the Destinations Fraudsters Use in IRSF & Wangiri Attacks — interview with Colin Yates — An end of year report on trends on the International Premium Rate Numbers advertised around the world that hold clues for early warning detection of traffic pumping voice frauds.
Telecom Identity Fraud 2020: A 36-Expert Analyst Report on Subscription Fraud, Identity, KYC and Security — by Dan Baker — TRI releases a new research report on telecom identity fraud and security. Black Swan readers can download a free Executive Summary of the Report.
Tackling Telecoms Subscription Fraud in a Digital World — interview with Mel Prescott & Andy Procter — Nine key recommendations on how telecoms can improve the processes and technology they use in subscription fraud and identity verification programs.
How an Energized Antifraud System with SLAs & Revenue Share is Powering Business Growth at Wholesaler iBASIS — interview with Malick Aissi — A classic case of risk management driving a major boost in a telecom’s business. Learn details on the commercial offer, antifraud ystem upgrades, Do It Yourself customer portal and reporting.
Mobileum Tackles Subscription Fraud and ID Spoofing with Machine Learning that is Explainable — interview with Carlos Martins — An excellent tutorial on Subscription Fraud and Systems. Topics include: key Fraud vectors and profiles of the Fraudsters; the need for a multi-database approach; the great precision required to screen names and addresses; and Machine Learning/AI’s key role in a Subscription Fraud system.
Convenient & Spam-Free: Why 800-Number Texting (8MS) is a Growing B2C Channel in North America — interview with Michael Gilbert — Texting is emerging as a highly trusted and convenient ways to communicate with businesses. An expert in texting innovations explains 8MS toll-free B2C texting and gives his perspective on texting enrichment trends in North America.
Positive Technologies: White Hat Hacking & Testing are Key to Signaling Security in the Era of 5G and IoT — interview with Jimmy Jones — A signaling security expert sorts through the white hat findings of a new report on mobile operator security vulnerabilities via the GTP protocol. Also discussed: security challenges and priorities in the age of 5G and IoT.
Black Swan Guide: Araxxe’s Revenue Assurance Consulting, Testing, and High Definition Billing Analysis Service — by Dan Baker — How Araxxe’s end-to-end revenue assurance complements switch-to-bill RA through telescope RA (external and partner data) and microscope RA (high-definition analysis of complex services like bundling and digital services).
Subex’s IDcentral Monetizes Telco & Enterprise Data to Deliver Digital ID & Risk Metric Services for Financing, KYC & More — interview with Shankar Roddam — A new digital intelligence service that monetizes the idle data of telecoms and enterprises while also earning a good return for the owner of the data.
Opportunities & Obstacles: Consultant Luke Taylor Muses on the State of the Telecom Risk Assurance Business — interview with Luke Taylor — A rambling discussion on the state of the risk assurance business with Luke Taylor, independent consultant in telecom revenue/fraud assurance and solution requirements and marketing.
LATRO’s Tips for Launching a Successful Revenue & Fraud Assurance Program for Mobile Money Operations in Developing Countries — interview with Don Reinhart — A company building mobile money RA/FM tools and managed services gives a concise, but detailed tutorial on how the Mobile Money Ecosystem works. Revenue assurance pros will get tips on what to look for in analytics/assurance tools, controls, and professional services.
Webinar: Wangiri Warriors: Solutions & Strategies for Fighting Call Back Fraud — interview with Arnd Baranowski & John Haraburda & Igor Skutsenya & Colin Yates — A virtual webinar where four telecom fraud control experts give their perspective on Wangiri, the callback fraud. They discusses strategies and explain the solutions they offer to service providers.
Black Swan Guide: Lanck Telecom’s Voice FMS as an On-Demand Network Service — interview with Igor Skutsenya — A Guide to a new and unique on-demand network service enabling fraud-risky international voice traffic to be monitored (and either alerted or blocked) as that traffic is routed through a wholesaler on its way to its final destinations.