Singapore-based StarHub is joining forces with Nokia to push technological boundaries by monetizing their 4G and 5G network assets. This collaboration will allow local enterprises to leverage network data, such as device status and quality of service, to improve flexibility and control of enterprise applications, specifically targeting sectors like banking, finance, and logistics.
With a customer base of two million in Singapore, StarHub will utilize Nokia’s ‘network-as-a-code’ platform. This partnership will equip developers with the necessary tools and standardized access to network functions, facilitating innovations in enterprise applications. As the statement from the companies suggests, developers can access these capabilities through APIs without diving into the complexities of underlying network technologies.
This platform is already leveraged by about 45 operators, including BT and Orange. It aligns with ecosystem giants like Google Cloud and Infobip, showing Nokia’s significant footprint in the network-API landscape. This initiative is also part of standard-setting projects under the GSMA’s Open Gateway and Linux Foundation’s CAMARA, both aiming to define technical standards for network APIs.
Nokia stated, “Nokia’s network API strategy is centered around connecting multiple API ecosystems through its Network as Code platform. By offering operators the broadest range of network exposure options, paired with robust multi-tier API security, the platform ensures that operators of all sizes can provide developers with simplified access to network functionalities.” Shkumbin Hamiti, head of network monetization at Nokia, emphasized their strategy drives innovation and collaboration among sizes of operators and developers.
Ayush Sharma, the chief technology officer at StarHub, shared, “We are pleased to deepen our partnership with Nokia to deliver a simplified and improved developer experience. Giving developers access to a wider selection of attractive network APIs is critical to unlocking the full value of 5G and 4G networks in Singapore and the wider region.”
While the partnership promises advancements, a recent survey by UK research group STL Partners flagged a lack of awareness among software developers regarding 4G and 5G network APIs. The study revealed that more than half of the surveyed developers did not associate ‘network APIs’ with 5G networks. This gap presents both a challenge and an opportunity for network operators to bridge the familiarity divide.
