How Telstra Wholesale is delivering a more robust and user-friendly bulk messaging platform

Today’s messaging market: more, more, more

Business use of bulk messaging has surged in the past five years. Two-factor authentication (2FA) codes, appointment reminders, and delivery notifications have contributed to significant market growth. And it shows no sign of stopping: Juniper Research estimates 3.4 trillion application-to-person messages will be sent in 2028, up from 2.2 trillion in 2024..

According to one study, SMS is the preferred communication channel for over 57% of people surveyed. With high open rates compared to other channels, it’s no surprise global business spending on SMS messaging is predicted to reach US$50 billion this year.

We’ve seen similar growth on our bulk messaging platform, which is delivering more messages than ever before. To support this demand, we are enhancing our platform to help message service providers offer superior products and experiences. Our improvements span everything from infrastructure upgrades to streamlined service management.

More robust and reliable services

We are investing in improving the reliability and robustness of our platform. A key focus is strengthening our business platforms and network infrastructure to create a reliable foundation for bulk messaging services.

One critical step is increasing infrastructure capacity to handle growing demand and prevent overloads that could lead to service disruptions. By enhancing scalability, we ensure our customers have a seamless and uninterrupted messaging experience.

Enhanced platform quality and observability

We are implementing new programs to improve infrastructure observability. This includes developing internal dashboards that provide our operations team with insights about network performance.

With enhanced observability, we can proactively identify and address potential issues, such as network congestion or high utilisation, before they impact customers. This also allows us to communicate proactively with customers, enabling them to better manage their messaging services and guide end-users accordingly.

Easier ordering and service management

We are building an automated activation and provisioning system, enabling customers to place orders and manage services via a self-service portal. This marks a shift from manual processes that could take hours or days to a system where customers can rapidly activate thousands of services.

Our goal is to deliver an experience that gives customers greater control over their messaging services.

Supporting the future of messaging with RCS

Messaging technology continues to evolve, and we’re evolving with it.

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the next generation of messaging among iOS and Android users. RCS offers enhanced media capabilities while RCS Business Messaging which will follow has the potential to improve customer support through more interactive and conversational messaging and superior end-user analytics. We are working closely with industry partners to enable RCS on the Telstra Mobile Network & the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, helping our customers reap its benefits.

Strengthening defences against scams and spam

Cybercriminals are constantly seeking new ways to exploit messaging systems. Telstra is committed to maintaining the security and integrity of our messaging platforms.

We are investing heavily in combating scams and fraud, leveraging advanced technology such as machine learning to detect and block fraudulent messages before they reach end-users. By working closely with our engineering teams, we aim to safeguard customers and provide a more secure messaging experience.

Enhancing messaging services for today and the future

We are continuously investing in our bulk messaging platform, focusing on automation, infrastructure, and security. These enhancements ensure a better experience for customers while preparing for the future of messaging. By delivering a more efficient, reliable, and secure platform, we empower messaging service providers to meet the growing demands of businesses and consumers alike.