MWC2024: Security and anti-fraud APIs most popular use of Open Gateway, GSMA reveals

APIs that tackle online fraud and cyber security are among the first uses by mobile operators working with software developers on third party API applications, the GSMA has revealed.

In the year since the mobile operator’s association launched its Open Gateway initiative, new data released on the first day of Mobile World Congress 2024 details how the technology has been used.

Over twenty companies across six regions have launched APIs that provide authentication to secure customer online transactions, enhance cyber security and combat fraud and identify theft.

Many of the initiatives involve collaborations between operators. In Sri Lanka, for instance, the country’s four mobile operators have commercially launched a trio of industry-wide APIs: ‘One Time Password Validation’, ‘Device Location’ and ‘Carrier Billing’.

These, claim the operators, will give developers and enterprises a standard way to technically and commercially reach 21 million Sri Lankans regardless of their network operator.

On the first day of this year’s Barcelona-based telco tech fest, Germany’s three main operators Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica Germany and Vodafone also launched ‘SIM Swap’ and ‘Number Verify’ APIs on the Vonage platform which claim to combat online fraud.

Other examples include Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone in Spain which have launched two new services designed to help developers tackle online fraud and protect the digital identities of mobile customers.

The Open Gateway initiative aims to change the way the telecoms industry designs and delivers services in a software-based API-based economy by opening up its networks to third party developers.

The APIs are defined, developed and published in CAMARA, the open-source project for developers driven by the Linux Foundation in collaboration with the GSMA.

According to the GSMA, in the year since its launch the initiative has seen more than 40 mobile operator networks produce a combined total of 94 APIs which are commercially available to enterprise developers in 21 markets.

Aims for 2024

The GSMA’s director general Mats Granryd said that the focus this year would be around “three main go-to-market channels” which are the network cloud marketplace, partnering with hyperscalers such as AWS, Google, Microsoft and Vonage.

Also in the line of sight are strategic technology partners and resellers such as, Nokia, Ericsson and Infobip. More APIs would also come from operators directly, through their enterprise and innovations divisions, the GSMA said.

“Our collective job for 2024 is to nurture and grow these opportunities and provide ubiquitous access to enterprise developers and cloud providers, so they can do what they do best, which is to launch game changing new services that can maximise the benefits of 5G networks,” Granryd added.

The industry is now turning its attention to a whole array of new services and innovations, including ‘Quality-on-Demand’ APIs to enable safe drone flight, robotics, extended reality and immersive online gaming services over 5G networks.

Other examples of use cases GSMA Open Gateway members and partners are working together to develop include a partnership between Nokia and Liberty Global who have conducted successful trials in Port of Antwerp in Belgium, delivering HD video streams to remotely-located captains, to help them manoeuvre shipping vessels through busy areas.

Siemens Energy, meanwhile, is partnering with Deutsche Telekom, O2, and Vodafone to test ‘Quality on Demand’ APIs to perform virtually assisted remote maintenance, using augmented reality, that requires high network quality to enable broad deployment.

According to research by McKinsey, API initiatives can unlock significant value for the telecommunications industry, and businesses using 5G networks over the next six years.

It’s forecast that, if operators can expose more of their network APIs and innovations to enterprise developer and cloud provider communities, then they can unlock an additional $300bn market opportunity by 2030.