The future of Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) was in sharp focus at International Telecoms Week (ITW) 2025, where a panel of global leaders from Telin, HORISEN, Infobip, Symbio Connect, and CPaaS Acceleration Alliance gathered to discuss the evolution of programmable communications under the theme: "From AI to APIs - how are we scaling CPaaS?"
With a CAGR projected to reach 25-30% by 2030, the CPaaS industry is entering a new phase of global growth. From improving user experiences to embracing AI, network APIs, and omnichannel integration, the conversation made it clear: the next wave of CPaaS will be defined by security, scalability, and smart partnerships.
Shaping the Next Phase of CPaaS
John Tolton, SVP of Group Sales Strategy and Enabler at Telin, emphasized that Telin’s move into CPaaS was a natural progression. With strong roots in voice and messaging and a growing enterprise demand, Telin saw an opportunity to build and scale a CPaaS platform aligned to its innovation DNA.
"We recognized that the wholesale business was running effectively, and with our expertise in voice and messaging, entering CPaaS allowed us to diversify revenue streams. It was a logical step to serve the growing enterprise market,” said Tolton.
The shift has already yielded results. Tolton shared that Telin is already monetizing its network APIs and mobile identity services, especially in Asia-Pacific markets, helping boost revenues at a time of declining SMS A2P volumes.
"We’ve commercialized mobile identity and network verification services, and are seeing real growth. These are already making up for some of the revenue lost in traditional messaging and enabling a more secure ecosystem,” he continued.
Fighting Spam and Fraud: A Network-Centric Approach
A recurring theme from the panel was the urgent need to protect the integrity of enterprise communications. With scam and spam traffic surging, CPaaS providers and operators are facing rising challenges in differentiating good actors from bad ones.
"We need to safeguard the customer experience," added Tolton, highlighting the role of network-based verification and mobile identity APIs. These tools, he argued, are essential in tackling unwanted messaging and securing communications between enterprises and end-users.
Symbio Connect CEO Dylan Brown echoed the urgency: "The biggest use case right now is identifying bad actors without compromising genuine traffic."
APIs, AI and the Power of Integration
The panel delved into how AI is shaping CPaaS innovation—both in fraud detection, prevention, and user experience. Telin, a long-standing platform innovator, was one of the first to offer AI-driven chatbot functionality. Today, it is deepening that expertise by partnering with Meta to deliver AI capabilities over WhatsApp.
"We’re working with Meta to bring AI to our partners through WhatsApp, enabling OTT contact center capabilities," said Tolton. "In markets like Indonesia, where WhatsApp dominates, we’re enabling instant AI-powered contact center services with voice-enabled flows—creating a better experience for both enterprises and users."
The future of CPaaS is not just about more channels. It’s about intelligent orchestration, combining AI, APIs, and carrier-grade reliability.
What's Next for Telin and the Industry?
Looking ahead, Tolton and others identified mobile identity and network API monetization as the top revenue opportunities for the industry.
"Verification—on both sides—is critical. Enterprises need to know they're talking to the right end-user, and users need to trust who’s messaging them. End-to-end identity is the foundation for scaling CPaaS sustainably," Tolton concluded.
CPaaS: Fighting Fraud, Scaling Smart, and Monetizing Mobile Identity
Telin’s move into CPaaS was a natural progression. With strong roots in voice and messaging and a growing enterprise demand, Telin saw an opportunity to build and scale a CPaaS platform aligned to its innovation DNA.
