The Internet has not yet penetrated deeply and widely in India. SMS, other than voice, is the only mobile service that works on every mobile in the country. Even though there has been recent misuse of SMS by companies violating the NDNC (National Do Not Call Registry), the solution is not to create a “Do Call” Registry. That will be like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. It will only worsen the situation.
As we have seen, there are a number of creative technology solutions to not just reduce, but eliminate, SMS spam. They involve strengthening the implementation of the current system. In doing so, we will help make SMS alerts, updates and “invertising” (invited advertising) an integral part of transactions in India – just like email is in the developed markets.
SMS remains an integral feature of mobile data services worldwide. Even with 3G, SMS usage has not decreased but only increased. The power of push and immediacy is what gives SMS its strength. What is needed is to create a solution that is a win-win for businesses and mass-market India.
