Originally published on Juniper Research’s website.

The way digital goods and services are purchased and consumed had a strong impact on Direct Carrier Billing steady growth in the last decade. In this context, why do you think it is essential now to discuss the importance of a safe and sustainable telecom ecosystem?

As Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) continues to grow, it not only reaches more users but also expanding into more industries. This growing trend highlights the need for a telecom ecosystem that can sustain this growth. The ecosystem depends on many levers and involves multiple actors.

To keep evolving and growing consistently, it is essential that all the actors participating in the telecom ecosystem collaborate and engage in discussions to ensure its long-term sustainability. A safe and sustainable environment not only protects end users but also enables all stakeholders, including telecom operators, service providers, and regulators, to innovate confidently. By focusing on this, we can contribute to the ecosystem’s overall health and longevity.

In your experience, what are the most significant challenges in establishing and maintaining a secure telecom ecosystem, and how can they be effectively addressed?

One of the biggest challenges that telecom operators are currently facing is maintaining customer confidence and satisfaction with the solutions they offer. This requires high quality customer relationship management at several levels: customer pathways, clarity of billing wording, relevance and precision of responses, among others. To meet these expectations, we provide comprehensive solutions that include advanced fraud detection tools, real-time data analysis and transparent customer support services.

For example, we implement tools to identify and prevent fraudulent activity before it affects users, while our responsible advertising practices ensure that users are only exposed to legitimate offers. By providing clear opt-out options and communication channels, we help telecom operators to reduce complaints, increase user confidence and improve the overall experience, and therefore sustainability of the solutions in place.

What best practices have you found most effective in fostering collaboration between Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), service providers, regulators, and other stakeholders?

Effective collaboration starts with transparency, open communication and a shared vision. Telecoms operators provide the essential infrastructure and payment systems, while partners, like us, bring services, qualitative content, digital marketing expertise and technological solutions for distribution and monetisation.

Regulators play a crucial role in setting the rules that ensure a fair and secure market. By engaging regularly with all these stakeholders and anticipating potential problems through self-regulation, we ensure that our actions are in line with industry standards and user expectations.

The use of data-driven information, objective KPIs, auditing, continuous monitoring and constant dialogue enable us to identify issues at an early stage and adapt quickly, ensuring that all parties work together towards the common goal of creating a strong, user-centric ecosystem.

How does Digital Virgo contribute to the creation of a more sustainable telecom ecosystem?

We see ourselves as a supportive partner for telecom operators and regulators, helping to enhance the resilience and ethics of the telecom ecosystem. Through regular audits and data analysis, we demonstrate that transparency often leads to better results.

For example, responsible advertising practices, providing clear opt-out options, and maintaining transparent customer care have been shown to reduce complaints while simultaneously driving growth and engagement. By focusing on these aspects, we help build an ecosystem that is not only powerful and sustainable but also trusted by users.

Could you share how data analytics and technology are being leveraged to enhance security and user experience?

At Digital Virgo, we handle vast amounts of data that we analyse to provide valuable insights to telecom operators and merchants. Our platforms offer real-time management tools that enable our partners to monitor user behaviour, detect potential issues, and respond promptly.

This proactive approach ensures that users benefit from a secure and seamless experience, and that operators can maintain the quality of their services. By providing these tools, we help our partners stay ahead of potential challenges and continually improve their offer.

What role does adaptability play in managing the complexities of the telecom ecosystem, and how can companies ensure they remain agile?

Adaptability is essential in a sector as dynamic as ours. The landscape is constantly evolving due to technological advances, regulatory changes, and evolving consumer expectations. To stay agile, companies must maintain close relationships with telecom operators, regulators, and other key players in the ecosystem.

At Digital Virgo, we have embraced a glocal approach. Globally, we foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation, staying ahead of trends and anticipating changes through dedicated teams. Locally, we have a presence in over 30 countries, with teams working closely with local operators and regulators. Their commitment ensures that we align with the latest standards and adapt as needed. Our flexible infrastructure allows us to respond swiftly to new developments, enabling us to support our partners effectively while keeping user satisfaction as our priority.

How do you foresee the evolution of Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) impacting the industry, particularly in terms of security and user trust?

Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) has already significantly enhanced the user experience by offering a convenient and secure payment method. Year after year, we’ve seen steady growth in the use of DCB. The security and transparency of these transactions are crucial in maintaining user trust and really help the whole telecom ecosystem to be a sustainable playfield in the long term. Telecom operators, with our support, need to ensure that DCB remains secure and user-friendly.

Additionally, other alternative payment methods, such as mobile money, are also growing and becoming part of the ecosystem. By offering a variety of secure payment options, we can help ensure that users have the flexibility they need while safeguarding their trust. Every player must be involved in the process, and collaboration, as mentioned before, is the key to success.

How important is customer care in maintaining a strong market, and what best practices should be followed?

Customer care is one of the cornerstones of a strong telecom ecosystem. Ensuring that users have access to effective self-care tools and customer support portals is key to maintaining trust and satisfaction. At Digital Virgo, we prioritise transparency in customer interactions, providing clear and accessible options for users to manage their services and communicate all transaction details. Our support portals allow users to resolve issues in a responsive way, through multiple channels available such as WhatsApp, chatbots, email, mobile portals or voice services. By keeping lines of communication open and providing rapid assistance, we help telecom operators and other stakeholders to handle this management, reduce related costs and create a more responsive and user-friendly ecosystem.

As a founding member of AF2M (French Association for the Development of Multi-operator Multimedia Services and Uses), what can be learned from successful initiatives like this one in creating and sustaining a safe telecom ecosystem?

AF2M’s success underlines the importance of collaboration and self-regulation in building a secure telecom ecosystem. Founded in 2005, AF2M is a French association that brings together telecom operators, service providers, aggregators and regulators to define and drive industry standards. By encouraging open dialogue and cooperation between these stakeholders, AF2M has created a framework that not only ensures compliance, but also stimulates innovation and consumer protection.

Our active participation in AF2M has shown us the value of this collaborative approach, and we are working closely with telecom operators and regulators to apply these best practices in other markets. The continued success of AF2M proves that collective efforts can enhance both security and business growth in the telecom ecosystem.