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 Monetization Challenges for Indian Telecoms Amid Tariff Hikes

5G Monetization Challenges for Indian Telecoms Amid Tariff Hikes
Indian telecom companies, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea, are struggling to raise tariffs amid the 5G rollout, with average revenue per user (ARPU) increasing only 1-3% sequentially in the December quarter. Significant capital expenditures and a competitive landscape contribute to the delay in tariff hikes, which impacts investors' concerns. Revenue growth is expected to moderate, while limited 5G use-cases and monetization opportunities also hinder ARPU growth.

Thuraya and Astrocast Boost Partnership with Strategic LEO IoT Investment

Thuraya Telecommunications Company, the mobile satellite services subsidiary of the UAE's flagship satellite solutions provider, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (Yahsat), has announced the conclusion of Heads of Terms for an investment agreement with Astrocast, a leading Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Internet of Things (IoT) network operator.

NTT and SES Unveil Satellite-Powered Edge and Private 5G Solutions for Enterprises

NTT and SES have announced a multi-year partnership to utilize SES satellites for delivering NTT’s Edge as a Service to enterprise customers. This collaboration merges NTT’s networking and enterprise-managed services expertise with SES’s satellite capabilities to offer reliable connectivity for enterprises experiencing surges in connectivity demand or operating in areas beyond fixed terrestrial networks.

Strategies That Drive Growth with Paul Ruppert

5G Talent Talk with Carrie Charles
Success in the world of technology requires not just innovation, but also strategic partnerships, skilled negotiations, and a relentless pursuit of growth. It's about having the right people, the right intentions, and always staying relevant in an ever-changing landscape. In this episode of 5G Talent Talk with Carrie Charles, we're joined by Paul Ruppert, a Harvard graduate, skilled negotiator, CPaaS veteran, and holder of two tech patents. Paul shares his secrets to scaling startups from zero to billion-dollar valuations, including how to negotiate high-stakes deals, build strategic partnerships, and stay relevant in a rapidly changing industry. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, adapting to new technologies, and always looking for ways to improve your skills. Tune in and learn from Paul how to drive growth and succeed in the world of technology.

GSA Releases 5G Security Guidelines for Federal Agency Procurement

GSA Releases 5G Security Guidelines for Federal Agency Procurement
In response to the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020, the federal government developed a four-pronged strategy for securing next-generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure. One aspect of this strategy focuses on minimizing supply chain risks to U.S. economic and national security during the worldwide development and deployment of 5G infrastructure. The GSA was tasked with creating acquisition processes that facilitate secure 5G infrastructure for classified information requirements.

5G FWA Poised to Challenge Traditional Fixed Broadband

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
According to ABI Research, 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA) services are increasingly being seen as a competitive alternative to traditional fixed broadband in both developed and emerging markets. The firm predicts that the number of 5G subscriptions of FWA could reach 72 million by 2027, which would represent 35% of the total fixed-wireless market.

India’s 6G Initiative: PM Modi Unveils Bharat 6G Mission and 6G Test Bed

Bharat 6G Vision launched | India's 6G Initiative: PM Modi Unveils Bharat 6G Mission and 6G Test Bed
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced the Bharat 6G Vision Document, which aims to accelerate the adoption of new technology in India, and launched the 6G research and development test bed. The document was developed by a technology innovation group on 6G, consisting of members from various government ministries, research institutions, academia, standardization bodies, telecom service providers, and industry. The group will help to create a roadmap and action plans for 6G in India.

The 6G test bed, launched alongside the document, will offer a platform for industry, academic institutions, and others to test and validate evolving technologies. The government believes that these initiatives will provide an environment conducive to innovation, capacity building, and faster technology adoption in the country.

Betacom Unveils AI Surveillance System for Private 4G/5G Networks

Betacom Unveils AI Surveillance System for Private 4G-5G Networks
Betacom, along with its partners Axis Communications and Evolon Technology, has introduced an AI-powered perimeter surveillance solution called Betacom PSS. It offers round-the-clock physical threat detection for airports, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities, delivering results in a shorter time and at a reduced cost compared to traditional wired and public wireless solutions. Betacom PSS relies on Axis cameras equipped with Evolon's AI-based image detection technology, all operating on Betacom's managed private 4G/5G network.

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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