Latest news with #digitalcommunication
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
SMS use surges in Jordan as business demand grows, over 1.4bln in 2024
AMMAN — Despite the widespread use of social media platforms and messaging apps, SMS (short message service) technology continues to play a vital role in Jordan's digital communication landscape, offering tangible economic value to businesses across various sectors. Industry experts told The Jordan Times that SMS has evolved into a trusted and efficient channel for businesses to reach consumers directly, especially in sectors such as banking, delivery services, e-commerce and healthcare. 'While people might ignore app notifications, SMS is almost always read. It is direct, fast, and trusted,' said Bayan Khaled, a tech expert and manager at a leading local SMS gateway provider. According to official data from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), 1.434 billion text messages were exchanged via mobile networks in 2024, an increase of 334 million compared with 2023, representing 27 per cent year-on-year growth. The surge reflects not only changing individual communication habits but also growing reliance by businesses and public institutions on SMS for sending one-time passwords (OTPs), delivery confirmations, payment reminders, appointment alerts, and marketing campaigns, experts said. Lina Tahseen, an employee at a local marketing agency, said that the most notable rise in SMS traffic occurred in the fourth quarter of 2024, likely driven by holiday promotions and seasonal marketing, adding that 'End-of-year promotions and customer re-engagement messages flood our customers' platforms.' On average, Jordanians sent around 119.5 million text messages per month, around 4 million messages per day, across the country's three main mobile operators. While messaging apps dominate personal communication, stakeholders say SMS has maintained its competitive edge in business communication due to its high delivery and open rates across all types of mobile devices. Most SMS traffic was domestic, although international messaging still maintained a small yet active share, according to the TRC. Experts attribute the growth in SMS usage in part to the steady rise in mobile subscriptions in Jordan, which reached 8 million by the end of 2024, with the majority being prepaid lines. 'SMS may be old tech, but in business, it remains highly effective,' said Serin Ahmad, an employee at a retail shop. As Jordan continues to advance its digital transformation agenda, SMS is proving not to be a relic of the past, but rather a resilient tool adapting to the evolving needs of communication and commerce. © Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Globe and Mail
19-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Dean Kim is Building a More Human-Centered Internet Through Intent-Centric Technology
Dean Jung Min Kim is on a mission to build the bridge between AI and human intent. Dean Kim is a Korean-American entrepreneur and technologist focused on rethinking how people communicate and transact across digital platforms. He is best known as the founder of FacilPay, an intent-centric messaging platform that aims to simplify modern digital infrastructure by bridging web2 familiarity with the security and architecture of decentralized systems. From Telco Veteran to User-First Technologist Before venturing into the technology startup scene, Kim spent over a decade in the telecommunications industry, working with leading mobile carriers and manufacturers. He managed national distribution programs, retail operations, and carrier relationships, developing a deep understanding of how people adopt and interact with consumer technologies at scale. This foundation helped shape his product-first approach to technology design—one that prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and trust. Rethinking Digital Communication: Simplicity Meets Security At the core of Kim's vision is a belief that modern communication platforms are overdue for reinvention. With increasing concern over data privacy, platform lock-ins, and fragmented digital experiences, FacilPay was created as a response: a mobile-first messaging tool that combines peer-to-peer interaction, intent-driven workflows, and end-to-end encrypted architecture. The platform uses secure, decentralized infrastructure under the hood—but unlike many overly technical systems, FacilPay's interface is designed to feel like a familiar chat app. Messages, actions, and automation all center around 'intent,' whether users are confirming a shared task, verifying identity, or collaborating in real time. 'Users shouldn't have to understand the backend to benefit from it,' Kim has said. 'We design technology that works quietly in the background—like any great product should.' Making Infrastructure Invisible: The Web2.5 Approach Rather than forcing users to understand complex backend systems, Kim's team focuses on building infrastructure that integrates naturally into existing digital habits. FacilPay uses API-driven architecture to plug into mobile operating systems, contact books, and native messaging layers—helping users onboard instantly, without the learning curve associated with most decentralized platforms. This Web2.5 approach—where Web3-grade privacy and security are embedded invisibly within a Web2-friendly interface—offers a compelling middle ground. It provides users with full ownership over their data and interactions, while retaining the simplicity of tools they already use every day. Privacy as a Platform, Not a Feature FacilPay's architecture is built on end-to-end-to-end encryption (E2EEE), extending protection not just between users, but also across the operational and storage layers. This layered security model is designed to ensure that no third party—including the platform itself—can access user content, offering a new benchmark for personal digital agency. While privacy-first platforms have gained traction in recent years, Kim believes that true adoption comes only when security is frictionless. Legacy in the Making Dean Kim's work reflects a growing movement in technology toward infrastructure that's user-owned, interoperable, and intuitively designed. As decentralized architectures gain mainstream relevance, platforms like FacilPay show what's possible when high-level security meets elegant user experience. By focusing on intent rather than interfaces, Kim and his team are helping redefine the future of messaging, interaction, and digital agency—one that feels as natural as sending a text, but with the trust and transparency users deserve.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why the Isle of Wight needs a hovercraft emoji right now!
In this whirlwind of digital communication we navigate, the emoji has become a potent tool. A well-placed smiley face can soften a terse message, a thumbs-up can convey swift agreement, and a string of party poppers can share joyous news without typing a word. From hieroglyphs to pixels, we've always sought succinct expression. Yet, for us Islanders, there's a glaring omission in this colourful lexicon, a void frankly more noticeable with each Solent crossing. I speak of the majestic, iconic, and utterly indispensable hovercraft. Now, I'm sure the Unicode Consortium, our emoji gatekeepers, are frightfully busy. They're no doubt deliberating over the precise curvature of a new croissant emoji or the exact shade of a contemplative face. We appreciate their diligence. We have emojis for steam trains, for cruise ships, even for a rather futuristic-looking monorail. But no hovercraft. How can this be? Imagine the scene: you're gliding across the water, the Spinnaker Tower shrinking in your wake, a seafort slipping by. You want to share this moment, to send a quick message to a loved one - "Just leaving Southsea, be with you soon!" And then you reach for the emoji keyboard. A ferry? Too pedestrian. A speedboat? Not quite the same gravitas. A rocket? Well, perhaps a slight exaggeration of its speed. The current situation is frustrating. I've found myself resorting to unsatisfactory combinations - perhaps a ship, a gust of wind, and a bird's wing, hoping the recipient deciphers my Solent-specific shorthand. It's hardly ideal. Possible, but you lose something in the translation. Think of the sheer utility! A quick tap of a hovercraft emoji could signify "I'm on my way over," "Meet you at the terminal," or even, with a preceding sad face, "Oh dear, it looks like the hover might be off due to this pesky fog!" The possibilities are endless, and the boost to Island pride immeasurable. Perhaps this seems a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things. But isn't it often the small, everyday things that bring a touch of joy or, in this case, a minor but persistent niggle? We Island dwellers are a practical, innovative bunch. We built the world's first commercial passenger hovercraft service, for goodness sake! Surely, we deserve the digital equivalent to acknowledge this pioneering spirit. So, I put it to you, fellow hovercraft fans, and perhaps even to those mysterious emoji arbiters across the globe: isn't it time the hovercraft took its rightful place amongst the digital icons of our age? It's a small ask, but one that would bring a disproportionate amount of satisfaction to those of us who know and love these remarkable machines. After all, if there's room for a floppy disk emoji (a relic most of Gen Z have never encountered), there's certainly space for a vessel that continues to zip across our waters with such distinctive panache. Let the campaign commence! Now, who knows the email address for the Unicode Consortium?
