Viktoriia Yefimenko, Communications Hub: “Five years ago, communication was treated as a supporting function; today, it’s part of the core infrastructure”
Ahead of ICE Barcelona, Viktoriia Yefimenko, CEO of Communications Hub, shares insights about communication reliability.
Exclusive interview.- In regulated industries like igaming, reliability is no longer a technical detail – it’s a business requirement. Ahead of ICE Barcelona, Focus Gaming News sat down with Viktoriia Yefimenko, CEO of Communications Hub, to discuss why communication reliability matters more than ever, the real challenges behind SMS deliverability and flash call verification, communication strategies, and the company’s plans for the expo.
ICE is traditionally about innovation and scale. Why do you think communication reliability has become such a critical topic for regulated industries like igaming?
Because regulation doesn’t forgive instability. In igaming, every message has legal, financial or reputational weight – whether it’s an OTP, a withdrawal notification or a responsible gaming alert.
Five years ago, communication was treated as a supporting function. Today, it’s part of the core infrastructure. If a message doesn’t arrive, the user doesn’t log in. If verification fails, onboarding drops. If a notification is delayed, trust erodes. Regulators don’t look at excuses – they look at outcomes.
Reliable communication is no longer about “sending messages.” It’s about guaranteeing delivery under any circumstances, across markets, providers and traffic spikes.
SMS is still the backbone of user communication in igaming, yet we hear a lot about deliverability issues and absence of back-up alternative delivery routes. What’s really going wrong?
The biggest misconception is that SMS is “simple.” In reality, it’s one of the most fragmented communication channels in the world.
igaming platforms face three main challenges:
First – route volatility. A route that works today might be blocked or degraded tomorrow due to local regulations, operator rules or spam filters.
Second – sender reputation. Without proper alpha name registration and number authentication, even legitimate messages are treated as suspicious.
Third – lack of visibility. Many platforms don’t actually know why messages fail. They see delivery reports but not the real reasons behind them.
The result is wasted budget, frustrated users and lost conversions – often without a clear understanding of where the breakdown happened.
Flash calls have gained popularity as an alternative to SMS verification. Are they really more reliable?
Flash calls are a powerful tool – when implemented correctly. They reduce costs and can improve verification speed, but they are not a silver bullet.
The challenge with flash calls is local dependency. Success depends heavily on regional telecom rules, number availability and call completion rates. Without intelligent routing and fallback logic, flash calls can fail just as badly as SMS.
That’s why we always say: it’s not about choosing one channel. It’s about having the ability to switch instantly, combine channels and adapt flows in real time.
Reliability comes from orchestration, not from a single technology.
One of Communications Hub’s key claims is reducing integration time from 45 days to just 10. What actually enables that?
We didn’t make integration faster by cutting corners. We made it faster by removing chaos.
Traditionally, platforms integrate each provider separately – different APIs, documentation quality, contract terms, testing processes. Every new provider means new development cycles and new risks.
Communications Hub changes the model. We provide a single integration layer with access to verified service providers. Our architecture standardises connections while still allowing custom logic where it matters.
As a result, onboarding a new provider or channel doesn’t mean rebuilding infrastructure. It’s configuration, not construction. That’s how 35-45 days becomes 10 – consistently.
“That’s why we always say: it’s not about choosing one channel. It’s about having the ability to switch instantly, combine channels and adapt flows in real time.”
Viktoriia Yefimenko, CEO of Communications Hub.
How important is backup and traffic cascading in today’s communication strategy?
It’s essential. If you don’t have backup, you don’t have reliability – you have hope.
Failures happen. Providers go down. Routes get blocked. Traffic spikes overload systems. The difference between mature and immature communication setups is what happens next.
Our platform includes built-in backup and automatic traffic switching. If one route fails, traffic is redirected instantly – without manual intervention and without message loss.
From the user’s perspective, nothing happened. From the business perspective, everything worked exactly as it should.
“Communications Hub changes the model. We provide a single integration layer with access to verified service providers.”
Viktoriia Yefimenko, CEO of Communications Hub.
ICE brings together a very competitive audience. How does Communications Hub position itself in such a crowded space?
We don’t compete on noise. We orchestrate the noise.
Communications Hub is for businesses that want to own their communication flows – not chase problems after they happen. Centralised analytics, flexible routing, advanced sender settings and expert human support are not “features” for us. They’re the foundation.
We’re not here to replace providers. We’re here to make working with them smarter, faster and more predictable.
Finally, what should ICE visitors expect from Communications Hub this year?
Practical conversations.
ICE is not the place for abstract promises. It’s where operators, affiliates and platforms look for solutions they can trust. We’ll be talking about real cases, real numbers and real challenges – from deliverability drops to scaling across new markets.
Communication shouldn’t be a bottleneck. It should be an advantage. That’s the mindset we’re bringing to ICE. This January 19-21, visit booth #1G30 to Integrate. Communicate. Grow.
