Some of the world’s largest telecom operators, including América Móvil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone, together with Ericsson are announcing a new venture to combine and sell network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) on a global scale to spur innovation in digital services. Network APIs are the way to easily access, use and pay for network capabilities. The venture will drive implementation and access to common APIs from multiple telecom service providers to a broader ecosystem of developer platforms.
Modern mobile networks have advanced and intelligent capabilities, which have historically been inaccessible to developers. Additionally, it has been impractical for developers to integrate the different capabilities of hundreds of individual telecom operators. The newly formed company will combine network APIs globally, with a vision that new applications will work anywhere and on any network, making it easier and quicker for developers to innovate.
Easily accessible advanced network capabilities will open up the next frontier in app development and empower developers to create new use cases across many sectors. These could include anti-fraud verification for financial transactions and the ability to check device status so streaming providers can dynamically adjust video quality.
Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, said, “Today is a defining moment for the industry and milestone in our strategy to open up the network for increased monetisation opportunities. A global platform built on Ericsson’s deep technical capabilities and with a comprehensive ecosystem, that provides millions of developers with a single connection, will enable the telecom industry to invest deeper into the network API opportunity, driving growth and innovation for everyone.”
The newly formed company will provide network APIs to a broad ecosystem of developer platforms, including hyperscalers (HCPs), Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) providers, System Integrators (SIs) and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), based on existing industry-wide CAMARA APIs (the open-source project driven by the GSMA and the Linux Foundation). Vonage and Google Cloud will partner with the new company, providing access to their ecosystems of millions of developers as well as their partners. The new venture shareholders will bring funding and important assets, including Ericsson’s platform and network expertise, global telecom operator relationships, knowledge of the developer community and each telecom operator’s network APIs, expertise and marketing.
Additional telecom operators are encouraged to join the new company, further driving the industry and developer experience, and allowing all participants to tap into a significant new revenue opportunity, such as telecom operator Three Sweden (Hi3G Access) which is already in discussions.
Closing of the transaction is expected early 2025, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions. Upon closing, Ericsson will hold 50% of the equity in the venture while the telecom providers will hold 50% in total. Built on a deep understanding of developer and enterprise needs and in keeping with the industry-body GSMA Open Gateway principles, the new venture’s platform and partner ecosystem will remain open and non-discriminatory to maximise value creation across the industry.
Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and CEO, Bharti Airtel, said, “Today marks a defining moment as the industry comes together to form a unified platform that will allow more developers and businesses to utilise our networks and explore API opportunities through open gateway principles. This move will enhance network monetisation opportunities. Airtel is delighted to partner in this initiative that will help enable the telecom sector to drive growth and innovation across the ecosystem.”
Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio, said, “We spearheaded the transformation of both mobile and fixed home broadband by delivering affordable, high-quality broadband to everyone, across India. As we rapidly adopt an AI and API-driven technology ecosystem—by collaborating with global leaders, Jio is thrilled to offer a suite of innovative and transformative APIs to enterprises and developers worldwide. Together, we are not just building networks; we are laying the foundation for a smarter, more connected, and inclusive world in the AI era.”
