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.

5G Rollout in India: A Catalyst for Job Creation and Skill Enhancement

India's 5G Boom: 22 Million Skilled Workers Needed by 2025
Explore how the rollout of 5G technology is set to supercharge India's economic growth and create vast job opportunities. Learn about the importance of upskilling in this new era, the sectors most likely to benefit, and the anticipated impact on job creation.

Satellites Transforming Connectivity in Rural America: Expanding Internet Access and Advancing Agriculture

Satellites Transforming Connectivity in Rural America Expanding Internet Access and Advancing Agriculture
Satellite technology is reshaping rural agriculture by providing robust connectivity and innovative solutions. SIA President Tom Stroup highlighted this transformative impact in his recent testimony before the House Committee on Agriculture.

Episode 15 – Rethinking Innovation

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Is it time for telcos to rethink the very nature of innovation, in the era of cloud and APIs?

Deutsche Bahn Leads Consortium to Revolutionize Connectivity with 5G Along Train Routes

Nokia gets private 5G ticket on Paris Express – four lines, 68 stations, 200km of track
Deutsche Bahn, Ericsson, O2 Telefónica, and Vantage Towers partner to develop 5G infrastructure along train routes in Germany. With state funding, this project marks a pivotal step towards seamless mobile connectivity for railway passengers and forms part of the government's broader gigabit strategy.

Key Telecom Trends to Watch with Dan Hays of PwC

5G Talent Talk with Carrie Charles
Join Carrie Charles as she engages in an in-depth discussion with Dan Hays, Principal at PwC, to explore the dynamic world of telecom. In this episode, they investigate prominent opportunities for growth and how PwC collaborates with companies to capitalize on them. Prepare to uncover Dan's perceptive insights on current trends and pressing topics in the telecom sector, such as narrowing the digital divide within the economy. Stay informed with valuable updates on the current state of the telecom industry, with a particular emphasis on the successful integration of the CBRS technology spectrum. As their conversation unfolds, they also analyze the pivotal role of China in the telecom supply chain and the potential risks faced by the industry. Brace yourself for a deep dive into the latest telecom trends and gain a comprehensive understanding of this ever-evolving landscape. 

5G Network Slicing: Deutsche Telekom and Ericsson’s Secure Private Cloud Solution

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48. Shaping the Future of Communication: A Deep Dive with Telzio’s Peter Schroeder

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Welcome back to the 5G Guys podcast! We were joined by an exceptional guest, Peter Schroeder. As a young entrepreneur and Danish DJ turned CEO of the telecommunications platform Telzio, Peter has a unique journey. Peter's success isn't just about his...

Space-based internet programme puts Iceland on front foot for ‘High North’ satcomms connectivity

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The Icelandic government has initiated a program to assess the suitability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space-based connectivity across the Arctic nation in partnership with a satellite communications company, OneWeb. Iceland will initially evaluate OneWeb's Global Connectivity Solution over the course of a three-month trial period. It will then have the option to extend services indefinitely, which could include the deployment of additional ground-based infrastructure as well as airborne, maritime, and on-the-pause/on-the-move UTs.

OneWeb confirms successful deployment of 16 satellites including next-generation JoeySat

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The Thailand data center market is expected to register a significant CAGR of 25% during the forecast period till 2028

The Thailand data center market is expected to register a significant CAGR of 25% during the forecast period till 2028
Thailand the market for data centers is predicted to grow at a rate of about 25% over the years 2019-2028. The country is home to more than 47 million Internet users, which means the dependence on digital infrastructure for the rapidly expanding economy and society is increasing and numerous Chinese, US Cloud companies are preparing in the country to offer Cloud solutions to the market.

47. From Fiber Optics to 5G: Verizon’s Evolution: with Executive Phillip French

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Hey there, 5G enthusiasts! Whether you’re a seasoned expert in the field or just curious about the next generation of connectivity, we've got a treat for you. In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome Phillip French from Verizon! If you've ever...

Connectivity and Tech | 5G Magazine, May 2023 edition

Shaping the Future with Connectivity and Tech | 5G Magazine, May 2023 edition
This edition is dedicated to "Shaping the Future with Connectivity and Tech," a theme that truly encapsulates the transformative power of technology in our lives. In this edition, we delve into the multifaceted world of 5G, AI, AR/VR, IoT, and other emerging technologies rapidly revolutionizing various aspects of our society, from our workplaces to our shopping experiences to industrial sectors.

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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