New service exposes telco capabilities through APIs to third-party developers

Network service exposure and monetization via standardized APIs has been a focus area for many Communications Service Providers (CSPs) globally for several years now. These efforts have recently gathered momentum via industry-wide efforts including GSMA Open Gateway, a GSMA-led alliance with a focus on providing common standard services by all CSPs, following the CAMARA specifications (a project under the Linux Foundation). 

At Google Cloud, we’ve been working with a broad set of partners including CSPs, Independent Softwares Vendors (ISVs), and the CAMARA alliance to bring these APIs closer to the cloud developer ecosystem. In one such example, ClearX is working with Google Cloud to develop its native API exposure service for developers to access communication and network APIs across the telecommunications ecosystem in an aggregated manner.

The service provides developers a Google Cloud and Open Gateway Initiative (OGI) co-branded experience to discover, onboard, and manage the usage of this new family of network APIs exposed by the CSP. Telefónica is the first CSP that provides CAMARA APIs integrated in this service preview. Many other operators are expected to integrate their APIs into the service, to offer developers a simplified experience that works for all CSPs without changing the application source code.

We’re excited to collaborate with our CSP partners to innovate and enable API monetization use cases that are driven by market demand, starting with anti-fraud applications and verification services, leveraging SIM Swap and Number Verify APIs.

"Through Open Gateway, the telco industry is working together to open our unique capabilities for developers worldwide through standard CAMARA APIs. Google Cloud provides the perfect platform to reach a wide ecosystem of developers in their native environment. CSPs that integrate their APIs in the ecosystem offer developers consistent access to standard APIs in their familiar cloud dashboard. We are really excited to see how this will push a new wave of innovation, collaboration and business opportunities.” - David del Val, Global Director of Open Gateway, Telefónica.

“Open Gateway and CAMARA bring closer new network capabilities as levers for innovation towards developers. Via simple, easy-to-use APIs, unique customer experience as well as Network as a Service use cases can be brought live and widely accessible. We are delighted Google Cloud is welcoming support to expose the CAMARA APIs. The developer journey proposed by Google Cloud and ClearX is an illustration of fast and seamless access towards the new APIs.” - Otilia Anton, Telco APIs Program Director, Orange. 

For Mobile World Congress ‘24, we designed a first demo of this service:

1. The application developer experience begins with a simplified discovery of the network APIs, accessible on the Google Cloud console.

2. The developer navigates to the desired CSP API, under the brand name Open Gateway Initiative, for this preview version. The listing for the API provides API pricing, and all other necessary information for the developer ecosystem to consume directly on the Google Cloud Marketplace.

3. Upon subscribing to the service, the developer is onboarded to the OGI platform:

4. The OGI platform manages the onboarding process of the developer and their application. This includes setting up the credentials and authorization processes in compliance with TM Forum standards, and setting up the developer application. The developer receives the required credentials and code samples needed to implement the OGI SDK in their application. Upon embedding the SDK and application credentials, the application is ready to be used. The developer can call standard APIs to consume the capabilities of all the onboarded CSPs. One single authentication and API call is required to reach all the CSPs integrated with the platform.

5. The developer is billed for the API usage as a part of the developer’s billing and payment mechanisms that are already in place for their Google Cloud service consumption.

Application developers and other industry participants can experience a preview of this offering at a live coding session being held at Open Gateway DevCon on 28 February during MWC Barcelona 2024.

We also invite you to learn more about how Google Cloud is partnering with CSPs.