Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IP-SMS (The Augnet Platform - Using Internet Protocol as the SMS Data Communication System)
Reporting period: 2019-06-01 to 2019-11-30
Overview
UK SME Augnet has developed a revolutionary data communication system toaddress current challenges faced by the SMS industry. With a team of industry and technology expertise, Augnet seeks to further advance its patent-pending technology through an Horizon 2020 Phase 1 project.
Augnet’s Phase 1 project concerns the development of their proprietary technology. Augnet aims to displace current processes within the Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS market. A2P SMS is a type of SMS sent to a subscriber (consumer) from an application (supplier) via a network operator (facilitator), and is a common method used by financial institutions, airlines, booking sites, and other organisations to communicate with consumers. High volumes are usually batched through an aggregator that utilises facilitators data to send the SMSs.
The current state-of-the-art is inadequate for the market needs. Traditional telecoms services provide a lack of quality assurance for their service provision. Not only does this mean that businesses have no records of their message traffic for monitoring purposes, but it also leads to telecom companies being able to intentionally kill traffic so that they receive a higher profit margin.
This means that SMS providers are being unfairly charged for a service that they don’t receive. This creates a lack of trust between companies. Furthermore, it is potentially brand damaging for companies, when customers do not receive the message, they blame the SMS provider and not the network (who are the ones at fault).
Results & Exploitation
Augnet’s phase 1 project was to define the architecture necessary to bring to market an Augnet platform capable of auditing A2P SMS traffic and analyse kill rates, ultimately creating an alternative system. Phase 1 Resulted in the full design of the auditing analytics software which will begin commercialisation in 2020.
UK SME Augnet has developed a revolutionary data communication system toaddress current challenges faced by the SMS industry. With a team of industry and technology expertise, Augnet seeks to further advance its patent-pending technology through an Horizon 2020 Phase 1 project.
Augnet’s Phase 1 project concerns the development of their proprietary technology. Augnet aims to displace current processes within the Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS market. A2P SMS is a type of SMS sent to a subscriber (consumer) from an application (supplier) via a network operator (facilitator), and is a common method used by financial institutions, airlines, booking sites, and other organisations to communicate with consumers. High volumes are usually batched through an aggregator that utilises facilitators data to send the SMSs.
The current state-of-the-art is inadequate for the market needs. Traditional telecoms services provide a lack of quality assurance for their service provision. Not only does this mean that businesses have no records of their message traffic for monitoring purposes, but it also leads to telecom companies being able to intentionally kill traffic so that they receive a higher profit margin.
This means that SMS providers are being unfairly charged for a service that they don’t receive. This creates a lack of trust between companies. Furthermore, it is potentially brand damaging for companies, when customers do not receive the message, they blame the SMS provider and not the network (who are the ones at fault).
Results & Exploitation
Augnet’s phase 1 project was to define the architecture necessary to bring to market an Augnet platform capable of auditing A2P SMS traffic and analyse kill rates, ultimately creating an alternative system. Phase 1 Resulted in the full design of the auditing analytics software which will begin commercialisation in 2020.
The Augnet A2P auditing system SMS Aware was developed through the Phase 1 project, is a backend network integration solution operating in a cloud environment, running intelligent algorithms. Objectives of the Phase1 project were for Augnet to undertake a detailed Feasibility Study, that includes an elaborated business plan to accelerate the commercialisation of the Augnet Platform within the A2P SMS Market with the view of being the first company to provide auditable delivery receipts as well as reliable SLAs and adequate quality metrics.
The project included work on:
• Assessing technical requirements of developing the Augnet Platform to TRL 9, generating a development roadmap
• Finalising the development and commercial partners needed for market entry and a Phase 2 project
• Conduct a user acceptance study, establishing full market potential and defining user demands
• Assess IP and regulatory requirements, refining existing strategies and formulating action plans
• Finalise the commercialisation strategy, and update the overall project risk assessment
The Phase1 project is deemed successful in that it brought Augnet’s solution from TRL 6 to a market ready TRL9 ready for commercialisation and completed the other elements of work.
The project included work on:
• Assessing technical requirements of developing the Augnet Platform to TRL 9, generating a development roadmap
• Finalising the development and commercial partners needed for market entry and a Phase 2 project
• Conduct a user acceptance study, establishing full market potential and defining user demands
• Assess IP and regulatory requirements, refining existing strategies and formulating action plans
• Finalise the commercialisation strategy, and update the overall project risk assessment
The Phase1 project is deemed successful in that it brought Augnet’s solution from TRL 6 to a market ready TRL9 ready for commercialisation and completed the other elements of work.
Augnet’s phase 1 project defined the architecture for Augnet's SMS Aware software, capable of auditing A2P SMS traffic and analyse kill rates. Phase 1 Resulted in the full design of the auditing analytics software, Description of work: 7 tasks, 6-months
• Task 1: Technical Assessment: full assessment and design of SMS Aware backend.
• Task 2: Partner Engagement: Review and finalise Test partners & proposed first adopters
• Task 3: Client Acceptance Study: Conduct client engagement, establish a complete understanding of market acceptance and establish a potential client base.
• Task 4: IPR and regulation Management: IPR examination (alongside IP advisors), refreshed FTO searches & regulatory impact assessment.
• Task 5: Commercialisation Strategy: Finalise the Augnet business model, including detailed financial modelling and commercialisation scenarios (pricing strategies and distribution approaches).
• Task 6: Risk Assessment: Update Augnet risk register and risk management strategy to reflect specific risks associated with development and market entry.
• Task 7: Business Plan: Write-up of the feasibility report, including enhanced business plan, development roadmap and commercial strategy.
• Task 1: Technical Assessment: full assessment and design of SMS Aware backend.
• Task 2: Partner Engagement: Review and finalise Test partners & proposed first adopters
• Task 3: Client Acceptance Study: Conduct client engagement, establish a complete understanding of market acceptance and establish a potential client base.
• Task 4: IPR and regulation Management: IPR examination (alongside IP advisors), refreshed FTO searches & regulatory impact assessment.
• Task 5: Commercialisation Strategy: Finalise the Augnet business model, including detailed financial modelling and commercialisation scenarios (pricing strategies and distribution approaches).
• Task 6: Risk Assessment: Update Augnet risk register and risk management strategy to reflect specific risks associated with development and market entry.
• Task 7: Business Plan: Write-up of the feasibility report, including enhanced business plan, development roadmap and commercial strategy.