5G messaging is now available for trial use. Will it replace WeChat?

Will 5G messaging, known as a "killer" application, become a new way for people to socialize, entertain, and live in the future? Will it shake WeChat's position in the social field?

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What is 5G messaging

Recently, China Unicom announced the launch of the trial commercial use of 5G messages across the country and launched the "5G Message Experience Recruitment Campaign", providing free 5G message experience packages for corporate customers and individual users. Friendly experience users will enjoy a richer, more convenient, intelligent and secure new 5G message experience.

What is 5G message? It is reported that China Unicom's 5G message has the following four characteristics: first, no downloading required, that is, using the original SMS entrance; second, interactive service, that is, intelligent service and free communication; third, rich media, that is, full support for pictures, videos, positioning, etc.; fourth, information security, that is, based on real-name authentication, data is safe and reliable.

On April 8 last year, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom jointly released the "5G Message White Paper", which showed that 5G messages will bring a new human-computer interaction mode. Users can complete a one-stop business experience such as service search, discovery, interaction, and payment within the message window.

Xiang Ligang, a senior communications industry expert, told China Business News: "For the mobile Internet, it is very important to compete for the entrance, because through the entrance, many functions such as social interaction, shopping, payment, and life services can be realized. The entrance to SMS is located in a very important position on the homepage of the mobile phone, and now 5G messages are not just sending text messages, but can expand the transmission of messages to pictures, sounds, and images, becoming a very powerful platform. In addition, the three operators are interconnected, and there are no cross-platform barriers, which will make communication between users very convenient. In addition, 5G messages are bundled with phone numbers, which will be more secure and convenient. Therefore, if 5G messages can be developed, they will be very valuable."

Ma Jihua, a senior telecom industry analyst, told China Business News that 5G messages can realize multimedia interactive links, achieve direct service connection without the need for apps, save mobile phone resources, and reduce service intermediaries. It will further facilitate Internet use for all people and help break down data barriers between Internet companies.

"The 5G messaging service is built on the GSMA RCS UP standard. The original intention of the design of converged communications (RCS) is to replace the traditional SMS service, allowing multimedia information to be transmitted between mobile phones and between mobile phones and telecom operators. The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has listed converged communications as a mandatory function for 5G terminals." An information technology industry practitioner told China Business News, "Since there is no need to install apps, the various services gathered through the 5G messaging service can reduce the cost of users obtaining information services compared to the running memory consumption and mobile phone storage space occupied by installing various independent apps, and can provide low-end smartphones with a better operating experience."

Is 5G messaging a development trend?

The "5G Message White Paper" mentions that when the 5G era arrives, global operators have reached a broad consensus: traditional SMS services need to be upgraded to rich media messaging services, namely 5G messaging services.

A communications industry practitioner told China Business News: "In the era of mobile Internet, the trend of operators becoming piped is inevitable, but operators are still looking for a way out for business transformation. As an important part of implementing refined traffic management, 5G messaging is highly anticipated by operators. Whether operators can keep up with the pace of the Internet market and break the current traffic monopoly of WeChat remains to be seen."

Ma Jihua told reporters that 5G new messages are a good tool for operators in the era of the Internet of Everything. As long as they gain the support of the entire ecosystem, they will surely play a good social role and generate huge commercial value.

At the same time, China Mobile and China Telecom are also gradually promoting 5G message related businesses.

At the 2021 China Mobile Global Partner Conference held recently, Zhuang Renfeng, deputy general manager of China Mobile Internet Co., Ltd., released three products, namely Super SIM Card, Mobile Authentication 2.0, and SMS Mini Program 2.0, to break through the coverage bottleneck encountered in the development of 5G messaging. Zhuang Renfeng said that SMS Mini Program 2.0 directly displays link content through cards, which solves the perception problem of SMS Mini Program 1.0 and can be used as a supplementary solution for 5G messaging to achieve full terminal coverage.

China Telecom said on its investor interaction platform on October 21 that the company will actively work with the industry to jointly promote the construction of the official commercial platform for 5G messaging and business commercial preparations; actively promote ecological construction and customer introduction, and recruit 5G messaging partners. The company has started key friendly user testing and will launch commercial services in due course when all conditions are ripe.

Will 5G messaging replace WeChat?

At present, the application of 5G messages is constantly expanding, and more and more industries and companies are joining in.

In December last year, Bank of China and China Unicom jointly launched a pilot platform for financial applications based on 5G messages, and took the lead in carrying out the first batch of "5G Message Volunteers" pilot projects in Hainan.

In September this year, the "Dian E Bao" Chatbot ID (chatbot identity) independently developed by State Grid Huitong Jincai was officially launched on China Mobile's 5G industry messaging platform. State Grid Huitong Jincai has now realized the functions of paying electricity bills, issuing invoices, and checking points in the "Dian E Bao" 5G message.

In addition, 5G message industry applications such as Ctrip, China Search, China Construction Bank, Youth Digest, Shenzhen Airlines, and Nanshan Government Services have also been released one after another.

It is reported that China Unicom has currently connected with dozens of CSPs (Chatbot Service Providers), and will initially provide application scenarios in the fields of smart finance, smart supermarkets, smart logistics, smart government affairs, and smart travel.

As a mobile Internet service that integrates social networking, life services, shopping, entertainment and other applications in the future, is it possible for 5G messaging to replace the status of platforms such as WeChat? How do you view the development space of 5G messaging?

Xiang Ligang expressed cautious optimism: "The development of 5G messaging is still difficult. The difficulty lies in the mutual support between operators, between operators and service providers, and between operators and mobile phone manufacturers. Everyone needs to participate and coordinate well with each other, which is very difficult. Of course, if it can be done well, it will indeed pose a certain threat to WeChat."

Ma Jihua said that simple 5G new messages will not replace WeChat, but if operators unite, they will inevitably get rid of the fate of dumb pipes, weaken WeChat's "ability to connect everything", and at the same time allow more small and medium-sized enterprises to get rid of the control of WeChat traffic, which will gradually and fundamentally change the WeChat ecosystem.

"The 5G messaging service provides users with a new choice. An ecological environment where 5G messaging services, WeChat public accounts and mini-programs, and various apps work together and compete can bring a richer and fairer experience to mobile Internet." The above-mentioned information technology industry practitioner told reporters.