Messaging Interoperability: Great for Consumers, Challenging for Businesses 

The EU wants your messaging apps to talk to each other. WhatsApp to Signal, iMessage to Telegram. It’s part of the Digital Markets Act. Great news for everyday conversations, right? 

But for businesses in regulated sectors like banking, healthcare, and logistics, interoperability isn’t that simple. It introduces new risks—security loopholes, compliance headaches, and reliability concerns—that businesses simply can’t afford. 

Security Risks: The Encryption Puzzle 

Interoperability complicates security. 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) through WhatsApp is already offered by firms such as Authsignal, with a failover to good old SMS. But if a WhatsApp messages is sent to a recipient that uses a different app with incompatible encryption, sensitive codes could be compromised. Continued encryption across messaging apps can be worked out, but it will take time to iron out the issues. 

Compliance Complications: Navigating the Regulatory Maze 

Industries like finance and healthcare are heavily regulated by standards such as GDPR and PSD2. With interoperable messaging, businesses risk losing oversight of data, potentially leading to compliance violations. 

Consider a bank using multiple messaging platforms for delivering sensitive authentication codes. If encryption standards differ, the bank might inadvertently breach data protection rules, risking penalties or damaging trust. 

Reliability Matters: When Every Message Counts 

Reliability isn’t negotiable. App-based messaging depends on internet connectivity, correct app installations, and regular updates. SMS, however, always delivers—regardless of internet connectivity or app configurations. 

Think about critical alerts, like banking notifications or healthcare reminders. A delayed or failed message could create serious issues. SMS ensures delivery, every time. 

“When messages absolutely must arrive—SMS is still your safest bet.” 

Why SMS Remains Essential 

Messaging apps have become popular for user engagement, but SMS remains indispensable. Fintech providers like Revolut and Wise still rely on SMS for guaranteed fallback—during app failures, onboarding, or when users lose their phones. 

How RGTN Ensures SMS Excellence 

Since SMS is going to be with us for the foreseeable future and has such an important role, it makes sense to do it well. At RGTN, we cut out the uncertainty by providing: 

• Direct-to-carrier connections, ensuring fast, reliable SMS delivery. 

• Full regulatory compliance, easily meeting GDPR, PSD2, and telecom regulations. 

• Geo-redundant infrastructure, guaranteeing low latency and reliable message delivery. 

The Way Forward: A Multi-Channel Messaging Strategy 

The DMA may change messaging interoperability in the future, but SMS remains unmatched for guaranteed, compliant, and secure communication. Businesses don’t need to choose—adopt a multi-channel approach with SMS as your dependable foundation. 

Contact RGTN today to strengthen your messaging strategy. 

About the digital markets act 

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is an EU regulation aimed at promoting fair competition by requiring dominant messaging platforms (like WhatsApp, Signal, and iMessage) to support interoperability. While beneficial for consumers, the DMA presents new challenges for businesses, especially those handling sensitive data.