How has SMS usage changed in the past decade?

SMS was popula and also a main revenue generator. I was the SMS product manager in a Latin American Operator and SMS was generating 30% of the total revenue The first service that was moving messaging traffic effectively and consistently away from traditional SMS was Blackberry Messenger

Popularity: Personal Communication: Many individuals prefer texting for personal communication due to its simplicity. People carry their mobile phones with them at all times, providing easy access to SMS. Business Communication: SMS is commonly used for business communications, such as 2FA authentication & promotions. Decline: Rise of Messaging Apps: The rise on A2P termination rates led an increase of in Messaging Authentication & alternatives. Data-based Messaging: Communication channels that use data (like WhatsApp, FB Messenger, & iMessage) gained popularity, leveraging free of charge messaging via Wi-Fi or data plans instead of traditional SMS.

Usually, when addressing the SMS popularity and decline, only the P2P texting use case is considered. In most countries and regions people do prefer Instant Messaging apps (WhatsApp, FB Messenger, Skype and so on). However, the SMS is still compatible with more devices than any other messaging channel. The SMS may work without internet, when the network signal is very low, etc. It is the preferred mechanism to deliver one-time passwords (OTP), banking alerts and other notifications, marketing offers, voting/polls. Moreover, virtually every M2M and OTA use case relies on the SMS channel at least to initiate the communication.

These days SMS still popular specially in the case of internet disorder or interruption . Also so many people are still using SMS to be in touch

SMS which was the killer application of 2G mobile networks, enabled fast person to person digital way of communication. The main disadvantage was the reason of it’s declining popularity - person to group communication.

During the 2000s, under the 2G and 3G network SMS was the primary method for text communication between individuals. This era experienced substantial traffic loads, particularly during festive seasons like Christmas, resulting in network congestion. However, the landscape shifted in the 2010s with the advent of smartphones and the introduction of multimedia platforms such as WhatsApp, leading to a decrease in SMS usage for everyday personal communication. Despite this, SMS continues to be an essential tool, especially for business-to-consumer interactions. Its universal compatibility across all mobile devices and network operators is a significant advantage, ensuring its continued utility in the sector, even as we advance into the 5G era

The Government and public sectors can still use SMS to broadcast official emergencies, including earthquake alerts, and prevent network congestion when using data transmission. It can reach rural areas with poor data network coverage. Nowadays, users choose to use the newly emerging social media platform for personal contact because of its rapid technological improvement, large population, and ease of use.

In my experience, a person's age and country of residence tend to influence the popularity of SMS greatly. Older generations tend to prefer voice calls while younger individuals gravitate more to SMS and Messaging Apps. Also, the behavior of someone in the US differs widely from someone let's say in Nigeria or Venezuela. Socio, economic, and market factors tend to have a huge influence on the affordability of SMS vs other means of communication.

Agree with @PeterBroes, demographic influence SMS user behavior. Here is another way to classify the usage: Baby Boomers - Still prefer Voice (thankfully) Gen X - Wildly shuttles across different channels, still has one preferred channel may be text, WhatsApp, Telegram (depending on the region). Gen Y - A mix of SMS, Discord, Snap, and maybe OTT apps Gen Z - Leans more towards Discord, Snap (in North America), WhatsAapp in rest of world.

1.Clear, concise, and straightforward messages are best when using A2P SMS. 2.Sending messages early in the morning or late at night is generally not a good idea. Use your understanding of the target audience to schedule the most appropriate days and times for sending business SMS communications. 3. Try to include personal touches, such as the customer’s name, to create a stronger connection with your A2P SMS communications. 4. An SMS API or Short Message Service Application Programming Interface can greatly simplify connecting apps to multiple messaging platforms. 4.To ensure the success of your A2P SMS efforts, choose a partner that can provide you with an enterprise-grade service.

Virtually every mobile device in the world supports SMS. The fact that SMS doesn’t require a data channel means that it can be used when there is no internet coverage. For example, the SMS can work in remote areas where the cellular coverage is minimal: in the sea, in the jungle and so on. That’s why it is very convenient for M2M and other use cases where maximum coverage is a key factor.

I would say some of the best practices of SMS are as follows : They are Widely accessible, compatible, fast, and reliable. No reliance on internet connectivity or app updates. Simple and intuitive, requiring no special skills. For best practices we can use clear and concise language, avoiding slang and emojis. Check spelling and maintain respectful communication. we also need to be aware of potential spam, fraud, and security risks. Consider the cost impact and use alternatives when needed. In summary, SMS remains valuable, but optimizing its use involves adhering to best practices, staying vigilant against risks, and considering alternative platforms when necessary.

SMS will live for some time mainly for OTP (one time password) notifications in most of the web sites login services. It will also live and be used for notification of governmental services, penalties and notifications of legal actions.

I did not see a word for the app on the mobile device that uses the SMS communication. it's old, ugly, not practical. note: the fact that SMS "uses" the mobile network may set it more reliable and secure than similar comm. schemes baesd on internet family protocols. bottom line is that the telecom operators do everything they can to shrink their profit from traditional services like voice and messaging, leaving the field free for other sharks. we will see if reducing share in added value services is, in long term, benefficial for them. for now I still use SMS... wherever this is still possible...

SMS over IP is the future for low power modes of cellular communication. In future IoT, M2M, Narrow band NTN, and Automotive use cases SMS is the best suited solution given the bandwidth and requirements.

While person-to-person SMS has been on the decline for years, application-to-person messaging has picked up considerably. It has been the go to tool for many large firms such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google for two-factor authentication and it's popularity among marketers for promotional messages is beyond compare (open rate is far better than email).

I would say for Future Perspective SMS has still a lot of opportunities for improvement in security, quality, and functionality with the Capacity to evolve and stay relevant in response to changing user expectations and technological advancements. In summary, SMS's future lies in its ability to sustain relevance, serve critical sectors, and adapt to meet emerging needs and technological advancements.

SMS is not limited to plain text messages. It is also used to transfer binary messages to configure the mobile device and the subscription Over the Air (OTA) with E2E encryption. These messages are invisible to the user. Billions of such messages are exchanges every day worldwide. The SMS as a P2P texting channel is being replaced by IM, but it is still In use as a binary data channel in M2M automation, telemetry, OTA.