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.

Singtel pioneers one of the world’s first 5G Security-as-a-Slice (SecaaS) capability

Cyber Security
Singtel announced that it is one of the world’s first to have 5G Security-as-a-Slice (SecaaS) as a capability, which proactively identifies and blocks cyber threats at the network level, thus preventing them from reaching the network’s users. According to a survey by Singtel among its customers in December 2022, nine out of 10 users expressed concern about security but only three had installed cybersecurity applications to protect their digital assets.

Industry throws weight behind GSMA API initiative | CAMARA Alliance

Industry throws weight behind GSMA API initiative - CAMARA Alliance - MWC 2023
The GSMA announced a new industry-wide initiative called GSMA Open Gateway, a framework of universal network Application Programmable Interfaces (APIs), designed to provide universal access to operator networks for developers. Launched with the support of 21 mobile network operators, the move is aimed at changing the way the telecoms industry designs and delivers services in an API economy world.

Nokia overhauls brand and strategy as focus shifts

Nokia overhauls brand and strategy as focus shifts
Nokia announced a bold facelift to its iconic brand at MWC23 Barcelona, in a move it stated reflected strong growth in its enterprise business in 2022 and represented an attempt to distance itself from the handset sector.

Cisco and NTT Collaborate to Bring Private 5G to Enterprise Customers to Accelerate Industry Transformation

Private networks - TeckNexus
Cisco and NTT announced plans to collaborate to drive Private 5G adoption across the Automotive, Logistics, Healthcare, Retail, and Public sectors. Together, the companies can rapidly enable critical Industry 4.0 capabilities such as push-to-talk ‘walkie talkie’ communications, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), always-connected PCs (for digital frontline workers), machine vision (e.g., predictive maintenance, PPE detection), and more.

Multi-Vendor Solution Demonstrates Autonomous, Sustainable & Secure 5G RAN Networks at MWC 2023

Multi-Vendor Solution Demonstrates Autonomous, Sustainable & Secure 5G RAN Networks at MWC 2023
EnterpriseWeb is presenting stage 3 of its award-winning multi-vendor Intel 5G RAN testbed. Based on a secure edge gateway use-case, the testbed showcases dynamic configuration of Intel® Ethernet Controller E810 and network functions to continuously optimize processing of secure packets. It demonstrates consistent and predictable low-latency and energy consumption at scale, enabling Telecom MEC and Sustainability initiatives.

5G Coverage by drones and challenges | Vinod Kumar Shrimali

5G drone coverage and challenges - TeckNexus
A drone flying cell tower is a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a 5G base station, which can be deployed to provide coverage in remote or hard-to-reach areas. These flying cell towers can be rapidly deployed and offer several advantages over traditional stationary cell towers, including increased flexibility, faster deployment, and the ability to cover larger areas with fewer towers.

5G+ Build and monetize what’s coming next | Rakuten Symphony

5G plus Build and Monetize what's coming next - Rakuten - 5G Magazine - TeckNexus
Geoff delves into why 5G revenues have failed to meet expectations, what customers and businesses anticipate from network operators and the potential for operators to capitalize on new monetization opportunities.

4 Specific 5G Monetization Opportunities in 2023

Open RAN: A $42M Leap Forward in Wireless Technology Innovation
There are specific areas from which telcos will mine the revenue. But the key 5G monetization strategy for telcos would be to invest in all 5G standalone (SA) network aspects. It will bring different ecosystem partners together, help upgrade charging models, strategize usage of telecom APIs, and launch network slices to tap enterprise customer segments. All these would be driven by bringing high-level end-to-end automation and a solid orchestration platform to start services to consumers quickly.

Open RAN: Insights from Rakuten’s 5G Journey

5G plus Build and Monetize what's coming next - Rakuten - 5G Magazine - TeckNexus
Explore the innovative strides of Rakuten in optimizing 5G technologies through Open RAN solutions. Dive into a comprehensive analysis of how the digital giant is shaping the future of connectivity, ensuring robust, scalable, and efficient networks. Learn about the transformative impact of Open RAN and Rakuten's pioneering initiatives in the realm of 5G deployments, offering enhanced user experiences, and driving the global telecom industry towards a future of seamless, high-speed connectivity.

AST SpaceMobile announces collaboration with Zain KSA

AST SPACEMOBILE ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION WITH ZAIN KSA
The MoU would enable AST SpaceMobile and Zain KSA to collaborate towards new telecom solutions and satellite-based digital services in Saudi Arabia and aim to increase access to mobile services in remote locations, including on land, at sea, and in flight.

AST SpaceMobile announces collaboration with TIM

AST SpaceMobile announces collaboration with TIM
AST SpaceMobile signed a non-binding MoU with TIM to increase the scope of cellular connectivity and bring space-based coverage to Brazil.

MATRIXX Brings Its 5G Monetization Solution to AWS Marketplace

MATRIXX Brings Its 5G Monetization Solution to AWS Marketplace
MATRIXX Software announced that MATRIXX Digital Commerce Platform (DCP) is available in AWS Marketplace. MATRIXX DCP is a converged charging engine that accelerates a telco's ability to innovate in the market and monetize in real-time, from network services to new consumer and business offers and valuable third-party relationships.

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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