Telcos globally are sunsetting or shutting down 2G or 3G networks. In such a situation, cell digital communications firm BICS has launched a brand new answer to help worldwide SMS on extra superior networks not supporting 2G or 3G applied sciences. In keeping with BICS, the answer helps carriers who do not help or have retired their legacy 2G and 3G networks from excluding inbound roamers from networks utilizing older SMS protocols.
Legacy Community Transition
The answer means vacationers and units coming from cell networks nonetheless utilizing 2G and 3G messaging applied sciences will not lose the service whereas roaming overseas, even when native operators do not help 2G or 3G.
Operators all over the world are phasing out legacy or previous networks for 4G and 5G networks. Nonetheless, the telecom market is evolving at totally different charges all over the world, and never all telcos are following the same strategy, BICS says. For instance, 3G is the dominant cell expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
As TelecomTalk experiences, most operators throughout the globe are phasing out 2G and 3G networks and reallocating the spectrum sources to broaden and improve 4G and 5G networks. Whereas some operators have introduced 2G and 3G phaseout plans, some operators are nonetheless persevering with 2G and have longer phase-out plans, supporting SMS and voice calling.
Addressing Roaming Challenges
BICS defined that other than stopping a Roaming Hole that leaves unconnected and operators unable to monetise sure sorts of roaming visitors, one other key challenge from community SMS incompatibility is ‘Welcome SMS’. Roamers will miss the necessary welcome communications messages and emergency data.
BICS’ Resolution
“With out help for SMS from 2G/3G networks, operators not solely face a loss in SMS roaming income but in addition danger affecting the monetization of calls and information,” the corporate mentioned.
“It is nice that telecoms are centered on adopting new applied sciences like 5G or 6G. Nonetheless, it’s important for operators to additionally deal with any potential points that go away individuals behind within the pursuit of innovation,” says BICS.
“BICS believes a related world is a stronger world and is quickly discovering options to bridge the digital divide. Our VoLTE enabler answer launched final 12 months did this for voice providers, and now SMS Translator is doing the identical for SMS.”
Additionally Learn: BICS and Mavenir to Ship VoLTE Resolution for Publish 2G, 3G Roaming Interoperability
Whereas the sorts of cell visitors (SMS, information, and calls) have not modified, the protocols enabling them have modified. This implies, for instance, that SMS messages are basically delivered by way of totally different ‘languages’ on 2G networks in comparison with 4G. Because the identify suggests, SMS Translator ‘interprets’ between the totally different generations of protocols that allow the sending and receiving of messages, BICS mentioned.
Final 12 months, BICS collaborated with Mavenir Telecom to introduce a Voice over LTE product designed to assist operators keep roaming interoperability after 2G, 3G community sundown, TelecomTalk reported.