The latest report from GSMA reveals restrained activity from major hyperscalers in embracing the Open Gateway initiative for mobile networks. Despite the fanfare at the Mobile World Congress, big cloud players like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud show limited progress in leveraging APIs.
Within the telecom circles, hyperscalers are anticipated to be pivotal due to their vast networks, developer engagement capabilities, and distribution channels. However, the report indicates that these tech giants remain focused on other priorities, notably artificial intelligence investments.
This scenario is crucial as telecom vendors, such as Ericsson and Nokia, have been advancing their own API initiatives. Ericsson, through its Vonage unit, and Nokia, with partnerships like the one with Infobip and the recent acquisition of API specialist Rapid, highlight efforts from the telco side to promote API use independently.
Hyperscalers’ involvement is critical to accelerating Open Gateway API dissemination, considering their expansive reach and existing developer communities. The lack of active support might hinder faster deployment and positive financial outcomes from these APIs.
The progress made by the operators is impressive nonetheless. Seventy-five percent of global mobile market operators are now engaging with Open Gateway. With 23 APIs covering various domains like edge computing and security, developers have been keenly implementing these, especially security-focused APIs like SIM Swap and One Time Password, as enterprises prioritize security over 5G and other tech enhancements.
There are, however, still hurdles to overcome. The report encourages delivery focus. Henry Calvert, GSMA’s head of networks, notes, “There is a window of opportunity, but this will not stay open forever… it also requires visible markers of progress, including the number of operators, API usage, and the extent to which usage is monetized.”
The telecom industry keenly awaits further momentum from hyperscalers to realize the full commercial potential of APIs. Their extensive resources and developer bases could immensely bolster API adoption and utilization.
