API

Network APIs expose telecom capabilities — such as quality of service, location, device status, and authentication — to developers and enterprises through standardized programmable interfaces. Industry initiatives including GSMA Open Gateway and the CAMARA project aim to make these capabilities consistent across operators, turning the network into a platform that applications can call directly. For operators, APIs represent a route to revenue beyond connectivity; for enterprises and developers, they offer programmable access to network features once locked inside carrier systems. Standards bodies including TM Forum and 3GPP continue to shape how these interfaces are defined and monetized. This channel tracks network API standards, operator and hyperscaler partnerships, monetization models, and real deployments, with analysis of where programmable networks are gaining commercial traction and where adoption still lags behind the ambition.

O-RAN based 5G Private Wireless Network Trial with Nokia, stc and Microsoft Azure

O-RAN based 5G Private Wireless Network Trial with Nokia, stc and Microsoft Azure
Nokia and stc leveraged Microsoft Azure Operator Nexus to demonstrate the capabilities of O-RAN in revolutionizing 5G Private Wireless Networks. This collaboration not only showcases the potential for digital transformation across industries but also sets a new benchmark in the deployment of cloud-native 5G solutions.

Light Reading Network X Americas

Start: May 21, 2024
End: May 23, 2024
Venue: Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas
Location: Dallas

VOXI Launches Generative AI Chatbot for Enhanced Customer Experience

VOXI Launches Generative AI Chatbot for Enhanced Customer Experience
VOXI by Vodafone partners with Accenture to launch a first-of-its-kind large language model AI chatbot in the UK, aimed at elevating customer service through sophisticated, human-like conversations.

Telcos Adopt Tiered Pricing Strategies to Boost User Revenue

Telcos Adopt Tiered Pricing Strategies to Boost User Revenue
Leading Indian telcos, recognizing the value of premium post-paid plans with bundled services including OTT subscriptions, are strategically enhancing ARPU without immediate tariff increases.

India Rises as second-largest manufacturer of mobile phones globally: ICEA

India Rises as second-largest manufacturer of mobile phones globally
India has surged to become the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, with a dramatic increase in production and exports, positioning itself as a global leader in electronics.

What happens during the Private Network Proof of Concept?

What happens during the private network Proof of Concept
The article delves into the intricate process of executing a private network Proof of Concept, emphasizing the transformative impact on industrial connectivity and the evolution from initial skepticism to rapid deployment and optimization.

WebRTC Is Coming To An IoT Device Near You

WebRTC Is Coming To An IoT Device Near You
WebRTC, developed by Google, is transforming IoT by offering secure, low-latency communication across devices without needing specialized plugins. Its adaptability across browsers and systems, coupled with its direct, peer-to-peer architecture, makes it a pivotal force in the IoT evolution.

GXC MeshUp | Episode 013 | The Backbone of Business: Reliable Connectivity

  • Podcast
  • March 4, 2024
GXC Meshup Podcast - The backbone of business connectivity - Reliable Connectivity
In the podcast episode "The Backbone of Business: Reliable Connectivity," host Allen Proithis and guest Rowan Litter of VDC Research delve into the critical role of private wireless networks within the enterprise connectivity landscape. They discuss the advantages of cellular technology in terms of security and control over network assets, especially when compared to traditional Wi-Fi. The conversation highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, pushing enterprises towards adopting technologies like AI, IoT, and private wireless to ensure reliable, secure connectivity. They explore the evolving demands of the workforce for more technologically enabled environments and the importance of education and ecosystem development for the adoption of 5G and beyond. The episode also touches on the cost-effectiveness and complementary nature of private wireless networks alongside Wi-Fi, underscoring the importance of security and the speculative future of 6G technology.

LiFi: The Future of Indoor Coverage in a 5G World

LiFi: The Future of Indoor Coverage in a 5G World
Explore how LiFi complements 5G's indoor coverage challenges, promising enhanced security, higher speeds, and efficient connectivity.

The G2 on 5G Podcast – Mobile World Congress 2024 Barcelona Wrap-Up Round Up

G2 on 5G - Moor Insights and Strategy Podcasts
In this 182nd episode of The G2 on 5G, we cover:
1. API finally gains traction as 5G mobile networks seek programmability and monetization - is Vonage positioned to capitalize?
2. AI is everywhere and in everything - an extension of CES: Intel AI PC and Qualcomm AI Hub+ New Snapdragon x80 Modem and FastConnect 7900
3. NTN and LEO satellite service continues to be hot - who’s still in front? AST SpaceMobile and Sateliot
4. The usual devices from: Honor Magic 6 Pro, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Moto Bendable, Tecno Rollable, Lenovo Clear Laptop, Xiaomi SU7 Auto, Samsung Galaxy Ring, OnePlus Watch 2
5. Nokia finds some renewed enterprise focus with Dell Technologies in private 5G networking and more
6. Qualcomm XR Hub, Boundless AR 5G Demo, Oppo Air Glass 3 and AR contacts are back?

5G-Enabled Windows 11 PCs: A New Era for Hybrid Work Connectivity

5G-Enabled Windows 11 PCs: A New Era for Hybrid Work Connectivity
Discover the future of hybrid work with 5G Windows 11 PCs enabled by SoftBank, T-Mobile, Telia, Ericsson, Microsoft, and Thales, offering seamless connectivity and automated eSIM management.

MWC 2024: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and GenAI announcements

MWC 2024: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and GenAI Announcements
MWC 2024 unveils AI innovations, shaping industries worldwide. Explore collaborative initiatives, ethical AI deployment and trends.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GSMA Open Gateway, and why was it created?
GSMA Open Gateway is an industry-wide initiative, backed by the GSMA, the trade body representing mobile operators globally, and dozens of major carriers, designed to standardize network APIs across operators and countries. Before this initiative, a company wanting to use a SIM swap detection API to prevent account-takeover fraud would typically need separate technical integrations and commercial agreements with every carrier in every market it operated in, an approach that didn’t scale well for global digital businesses like banks or ride-sharing platforms. Open Gateway defines a common technical specification for these APIs so a single integration works consistently across participating operators worldwide, dramatically reducing the engineering and business development overhead for any company wanting to build services on top of carrier network data.
Why do telecom companies want to expose network APIs to outside developers?
Exposing network APIs gives carriers a new revenue stream that doesn’t depend on selling more raw data or voice minutes, an increasingly commoditized, low-margin business. Instead, operators can charge for premium, differentiated capabilities, like verified caller identity for fraud prevention, real-time network quality guarantees for a specific application, or device location data for logistics and delivery tracking, turning the network itself into a monetizable platform. This mirrors a broader strategic shift across the industry, often summarized as moving from selling bandwidth to selling outcomes, where operators position themselves as infrastructure partners for other industries’ digital products rather than purely as connectivity providers competing on price. It also opens partnerships with software companies that wouldn’t otherwise have a direct commercial relationship with an operator at all.
What are some real-world examples of telecom network APIs in use today?
Some of the most established use cases include number verification, used heavily by banking and fintech apps to confirm a user genuinely controls the phone number tied to their account before allowing a transaction; SIM swap detection, which flags when a phone number has recently been transferred to a new SIM, a common signal of an account-takeover attempt; and location APIs, used by logistics and delivery companies for real-time tracking, or by other services for geofencing-based features. Newer, more specialized examples are emerging too, including quality-on-demand APIs that let an application request guaranteed network performance for a specific session, useful for video calls or cloud gaming, effectively giving developers programmatic access to capabilities like network slicing without negotiating a direct deal with the underlying carrier.
How do network APIs relate to network slicing and monetization?
Network slicing creates the actual underlying capability, a dedicated, performance-guaranteed virtual network for a specific purpose, while network APIs are often the mechanism by which a third-party developer actually requests and uses that capability programmatically, without needing to understand or manage the underlying slicing infrastructure directly. A quality-on-demand API, for example, might let a video conferencing app request guaranteed low latency for an important call, with that request fulfilled behind the scenes by the operator’s slicing infrastructure. This pairing is central to how operators are trying to monetize their 5G Standalone investments: slicing creates differentiated network capabilities, and APIs are the commercial and technical interface that makes those capabilities accessible and billable to outside developers.
What’s stopping network APIs from being adopted faster?
Adoption has been slower than initial industry enthusiasm suggested, for a few recurring reasons. Developers building global products need consistent behavior across operators and countries, and while standardization initiatives like Open Gateway aim to solve this, achieving true consistency across dozens of carriers, each with their own legacy systems and commercial priorities, takes time. There’s also a chicken-and-egg dynamic: developers are hesitant to build products around APIs that aren’t yet universally available, while operators are cautious about investing heavily in API infrastructure without proven developer demand. Pricing adds another layer of friction, since operators are still experimenting with how to price access in a way that’s attractive to developers while still generating meaningful revenue relative to infrastructure cost.
Who are the typical customers building on top of telecom network APIs?
Customers span a range of industries, but financial services and fraud prevention have been the earliest and most consistent adopters, using number verification and SIM swap detection to reduce account-takeover and transaction fraud. Logistics, delivery, and ride-sharing companies are major users of location-based APIs for real-time tracking and route optimization. Gaming and entertainment companies are increasingly interested in quality-on-demand APIs to guarantee performance for latency-sensitive applications like cloud gaming. Beyond individual companies, aggregator platforms have emerged specifically to combine APIs from multiple operators into a single access point, letting developers integrate once and reach users across many carriers and countries without managing separate relationships with each one.
Are network APIs secure, and who controls access to sensitive data like location?
Security and access control are central design considerations for network APIs, given the sensitive nature of data like location or SIM status. Access is generally tightly controlled through authentication and authorization systems, and most operators only expose specific, limited capabilities through these APIs rather than raw access to underlying network or subscriber data. Consent mechanisms are also typically built in, particularly for anything involving an individual’s location or personal data, often requiring an explicit user opt-in before that data can be shared with a third-party application. This remains an evolving area, and as more operators expose more capabilities through these interfaces, regulators and privacy advocates are paying closer attention to how consent is obtained across different countries with different privacy law standards.
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