CEO

MCP INSIGHT JOINS ODDA TO LAUNCH MCP DATESCAN

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

MCP INSIGHT JOINS ODDA TO LAUNCH MCP DATESCAN, BRINGING INNOVATION AND MARKET INTELLIGENCE TO THE ONLINE DATING INDUSTRY

London, 21 March 2025 

MCP Insight, an award-winning provider of market intelligence, competitor benchmarking and risk management solutions, is excited to announce its collaboration with the Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA) and the launch of MCP DATESCAN, a cutting-edge platform designed to provide dating brands with deep market insights and competitor intelligence.

With a strong track record of delivering data-driven solutions across the digital services ecosystem, MCP Insight is committed to leveraging its proprietary technology to solve challenges and drive business growth. Recognising the increasing competition in the online dating space, MCP DATESCAN was developed to equip brands with the intelligence they need to optimise marketing performance, enhance customer acquisition strategies, and stay ahead of evolving market trends.

 

BETA VERSION IN DEVELOPMENT, SHAPED BY INDUSTRY COLLABORATION

 

MCP DATESCAN is currently in development, and MCP Insight is actively working alongside industry players to refine the platform, enhance functionality, and develop new features. The goal is to deliver a market intelligence and competitor benchmarking solution that has a tangible impact on key business areas, from ad performance and user engagement to strategic positioning and customer acquisition.

Kev Dawson, Director of MCP Insight, commented: “MCP Insight is thrilled to collaborate with ODDA as an Associate Member. Through our DATESCAN platform, we aim to provide dating brands with unparalleled market intelligence, offering a new level of visibility into advertising trends, competitor strategies, and customer engagement. By working closely with the industry, we’re ensuring MCP DATESCAN evolves into a game-changing tool that delivers real value to dating businesses navigating an increasingly competitive landscape with an ever- evolving regulatory focus.”

ODDA CEO Simon Newman welcomed MCP Insight to the association, stating: “We’re always looking to work with innovative companies that offer our members the insights they need to maintain their competitive edge. We’ve been really impressed with the capability of MCP DATESCAN, and as part of our commitment to expanding the services we provide, we’ll be sharing key industry trends through this collaboration in our new Members’ Area, launching next month.”

 

INNOVATION BEYOND DATING – SOLVING COMPLEX CHALLENGES ACROSS INDUSTRIES

 

MCP Insight’s Innovation Team continually seeks new ways to apply its expertise and proprietary technology to help businesses in diverse sectors overcome challenges and unlock new opportunities. The company’s agile approach to product development and problem-solving means it can rapidly adapt its solutions to meet the specific needs of different industries.

“Our expertise in market intelligence isn’t limited to the mVAS and mobile payments sector – we’re always exploring how our technology can deliver actionable insights and drive measurable outcomes for clients across a wide range of industries,” added Dawson. “MCP DATESCAN is a perfect example of how we’re evolving to serve new markets, and we’re keen to work with forward-thinking businesses looking for tailored solutions to solve their unique challenges.”

With MCP DATESCAN, dating brands now have a powerful tool to refine their strategies, optimise their marketing, and gain a competitive advantage. As the platform continues to develop in collaboration with ODDA and the wider industry, MCP Insight looks forward to delivering even greater value and impact in the online dating space and beyond.

For more information on MCP DATESCAN or to explore how MCP Insight can support your business, contact info@mcpinsight.com.

Text-to-donate raises over £6.8m in mobile donations for the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Fonix logo in blue

 

Fonix has been the mobile donation partner for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

More than £6.8m has been raised by the UK public via text-to-donate so far, to support the aid effort in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries.

Since the beginning of March text-to-donate has been promoted across the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky, Radiocentre, BT Sport and Co-op to name a few.

Concert for Ukraine, which took place in the UK on 29 March, raised more than £4.9m in mobile donations, helping contribute to the £13.4m raised on the night of the Appeal.

The two-hour show brought together names from the world of music for a unique event spreading a message of hope and support, and most importantly, raising funds for the ongoing DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. The live show was broadcast across ITV, STV, ITV Hub and STV Player.

The show promoted text-to-donate, allowing donors to donate via text at one of four price points: £10, £20, £30 and £40. Donations were charged to a donor’s mobile phone bill.

Rob Weisz, CEO of Fonix, said: “We are so very proud to be able to work with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help the humanitarian effort to support those affected by the crisis in Ukraine.”

Simon Beresford, Director of Fundraising and Marketing of DEC, added: “We’re thankful to Fonix for enabling mobile donations so quickly and to the generous UK public whose donations will go on to make such a difference. As humanitarian needs continue to grow, the money raised will help to provide vital support to families caught up in this devastating conflict.”

MWC22 Barcelona: Reconnecting an Industry and Community

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

 

The new year brings renewed focus and energy, and as members of the MWC Barcelona community know, it is also when preparation moves into high gear. In eight weeks, we will open the doors of Fira Gran Via to the global mobile ecosystem and, I can’t wait to welcome everyone.

This new year also begins with more news related to the pandemic. Global circumstance continues to evolve and, one thing is becoming apparent, we will be dealing with the effects of Covid-19 for years to come. In times like these, responsible leadership is more critical than ever.

This type of leadership inspires innovation and the kind of investment that moves our industry, society and, economy forward while keeping our community safe. Considering this and the fact that present circumstances have made connectivity profoundly critical, the GSMA would only consider a change to our plans under the direction of the Spanish authorities.

In 2021 we organised and hosted three MWC events in Shanghai, Los Angeles, and Barcelona. Each event took place in a unique context but, our strategy was consistent. Firstly, to work in close partnership with relevant authorities to ensure the event could go ahead safely for staff, workers, exhibitors, visitors, suppliers, partners, and the local community; secondly, to provide up-to-the-minute information. This experience combined with advances by health experts, scientists and, governments give us confidence that we can convene safely again in 2022. MWC health & safety measures are on our Committed Community page here.

We expect over 1,500 exhibitors in February, with attendees registered from 150 countries. You will meet decision-makers, hear from thought leaders and, close deals. Policymakers will meet through our prestigious Ministerial Programme, and all are encouraged to experience the 4YFN start-up conference and brand new for 2022, Industry City. Over the four days, you will see the vibrancy, reach, and diversity that puts MWC at the forefront of the kind of innovation that addresses critical challenges across society. This is Connectivity Unleashed and potential is everywhere.

A lot has changed in the past two years but our resolve to reconvene the industry is unwavering, and I encourage every member of this community to support one another. My personal thanks to all the business leaders who are right now planning their attendance.

Of course, none of this is possible without the continued support and partnership of Spain, Catalonia, Barcelona, FIRA and the Host City Parties. Barcelona is truly the home of MWC, and its gravitational pull is strong. MWC will always be available online, but I hope to see you in Barcelona.

Sincerely,

John Hoffman

CEO, GSMA Ltd.

Noor Play make paying in the Middle East easy with SLA Digital’s Carrier Billing Solutions

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Video-on-demand streaming service Noor Play has connected with SLA Digital to offer Zain Kuwait customers easy access to multi-platform content through simple carrier billing payments.

Noor Play is a subscription service that offers a wide variety of TV shows, movies and more with ad-free content carefully picked and edited to suit all members of the family. With SLA Digital’s help Noor Play are expanding their reach in the Middle East by offering accessible-to-all payments via customers’ mobile phone bills or prepaid credit.

Ahmad Al-Qarawi, CEO at Noor Play commented: “Carrier billing is ideal for customers in the Middle East as it is a very accessible way to pay in this market. We want our subscribers to have a seamless viewing experience so it is important to make payments as convenient as possible – by partnering with SLA Digital we have been able to achieve just that.”

Kevin Drayne, CEO at SLA Digital said: “Noor Play is a fantastic entertainment service and we can see it being hugely popular with customers of Zain Kuwait, not to mention our other mobile operator clients. Expanding our partnerships with digital merchants and bringing new services on board is a key focus for us and we are delighted to connect with Noor Play to offer them opportunities to acquire more customers through carrier billing.”

Mobile operators interested in discussing opportunities to connect with Noor Play through carrier billing should contact the team at SLA Digital directly.

Vodacom and Evina unite to fight mobile fraud

Posted on by Andrea Putnam-Moorcroft

Vodacom, SA’s leading network has taken a major step forward in mobile user safety by partnering with cybersecurity for mobile payments company, Evina.

Mobile users in Africa’s most advanced economy will now join the ranks of the tens of millions of consumers globally that are protected daily by Evina’s payments technology.

In recent years, the South African mobile industry has attracted a large number of fraudsters leading to a substantial increase in user complaint rates. These frequent fraudulent attacks are due to the fact that a large number of the African population uses a cellular phone, especially as a mobile payment method. Fraudsters are never far from where mobile transactions are. In South Africa alone, the country fraud rate recorded by Evina’s fraud sensors was 23.53% with clickjacking being the most fraudulent technique used to defraud mobile users in the first quarter of 2021. This region is a playground for new and extremely sophisticated fraud techniques that are difficult to spot unless using advanced technology

In this context, Vodacom has partnered with Evina to secure mobile transactions via Evina’s set of anti-fraud solutions that include DCBprotect and Eyewitness. DCBprotect detects bots that attempt to make fraudulent transactions whereas Eyewitness records fraudulent behaviour on payment pages to give proof to Vodacom’s partners of any bot-related activity.

Evina offers the most advanced cybersecurity technology for mobile payments and currently blocks over 16 million transactions in more than 70 countries worldwide. Evina is a recognized player in the mobile ecosystem and has been awarded various prestigious accolades such as the Best Financial Clearing Solution from Juniper Research and Best Carrier Billing Fraud Solution at the Global Carrier Billing Summit 2020.

David Lotfi, CEO & Founder of Evina: “We strive to work with mobile players that share our vision of fraud being a serious issue that needs to be dealt with – and soon. By integrating our anti-fraud solution into its operations, Vodacom with its large African network of mobile users, has confirmed that it too shares our values and wishes to create a fraud-free mobile payment ecosystem. This makes deploying the best technology worldwide, for the protection of South African mobile users, effortless.”

“The protection of our customers against all forms of fraudulent activity is our top priority. We are constantly striving to eradicate any potential mobile fraud on our network by updating and enhancing our controls to give customers peace of mind whilst enjoying seamless connectivity through their mobile phones. Introducing DCBprotect as solution is testament to our efforts to stay ahead of fraudsters and create a fraud free digital environment. We believe that early detection and blocking of any form of criminality on our network is in the interest of our customers and ultimately the Vodacom brand” said Mariam Cassim Chief Officer of Vodacom Financial and Digital Services.