This joint tyntec/GigaOM whitepaper outlines how the global mobile messaging value chain is being disrupted by the rapid growth of OTT services, and the impact this is having on a highly profitable revenue stream for operators. The research uses forecasts for the next five years to highlight how the market for both SMS and OTT messaging will change globally and by region. Using a succinct analytical approach, the paper also demonstrates how this trend is causing a growing fragmentation of the market which can only be addressed by using virtual phone numbers to bring about the convergence of IP-messaging and SMS. This will provide interoperability, reliability and global scale for operators and internet companies alike. By Peter Crocker, GigaOM.