With the last summer month almost here, check out our monthly roundup of the biggest news in the business messaging and telecoms space.
Apple may be forced to change iMessage forever, thanks to new EU ruling
New legislation in the EU called the Digital Markets Act might be opening the previously closed messaging systems of iMessage and WhatsApp. Currently, most messaging apps are closed systems, iMessage users can only talk to iMessage users, WhatsApp to WhatsApp and so on. New legislation from the EU is going to force interoperability to these services in the coming months.
Could this be a boon for up-and-coming messaging protocol RCS? RCS is an open protocol that can be added to a messaging app and also supports all the features that people use OTT messengers for, like sharing images and messaging at no extra cost.
T-Mobile US to pay US$350 million to settle data breach class action suit
T-Mobile US has settled the class action lawsuit related to last year’s data breach, which exposed details of 76.6 million US residents, according to Telecompaper.
A settlement of US$350 million was proposed to fund the claims submitted, along with an additional US$150 million that would go towards upgrading data security and related technology. The operator said that upon court approval, the settlement would release all claims arising from the cyberattack
As any data breach poses a huge threat to the people affected, enterprises worldwide must be proactive and take steps to negate the possible repercussions for their consumers. Introducing a reliable multi-factor authentication solution is critical. Check out our recent article to learn how you may protect your audience while keeping their journey seamless and enjoyable.
Australia’s telco regulatory body continues its crusade against scam
According to InformationAge, the new rules, set up in Australian Communications and Media Authority’s regulation C661:2022, are expected to establish a “more uniform, collaborative and efficient approach to identifying, tracing, and blocking scam calls and scam SMS”.
Now, Australian operators must “make best efforts to identify, trace, block and otherwise disrupt scam calls and scam SMS”. MNOs are expected to collaborate with each other and with government agencies, sharing information, as well as raising awareness among the subscribers and explaining the threats that such fraudulent activities pose to consumers.
Viber launches Payments, a new digital wallet
After several experiments with digital payments and Mcommerce Viber is going all in and launching Payments, a new digital wallet that users can use to pay bills, transfer money and purchase goods.
For those of you out there using Viber Business Messages, this could be a fantastic development. With Payments, it could be easier than ever for Viber users to purchase goods and services via VBM.