T-Mobile US and Deutsche Telekom have developed a platform with joint Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to simplify the development of network solutions. These APIs, known as T-DevEdge, will give developers a direct entryway to connectivity and other core network services.
“[With access to APIs] developers can create new and valuable offerings for businesses or consumers,” said Claudia Nemat, Member of the Board of Management for Technology, and Innovation at Deutsche Telekom. “Now, together with T-Mobile US, we are bringing this offering to a creative and engaged developer community on both sides of the Atlantic.”
One of the first participants, Siemens Energy, is using an API for Quality-on-Demand to optimize its remote maintenance. Virtually assisted remote maintenance requires consistently high network quality to enable broad deployment even in locations without stable connectivity. Through augmented reality, the application displays critical information and guidance directly in the on-site technicians’ field of view, helping them solve complex problems. Alternatively a remote engineer can see augmented video of equipment on the site.
“We can now share the capabilities of our networks directly with our customers, as we make networks increasingly intelligent and programmable. One of our new network APIs allows customers to get defined Quality-on-Demand attributes for mobile data access easily and when they need them,” Nemat said.
APIs were a part of the conversation at MWC23. The Telefónica Open Gateway, which was part of the industry initiative presented by the GSMA, makes it possible to develop new use cases based on standardized APIs that help to “democratize access to network innovation capabilities,” according to Telefónica.
The effort to open wireless networks to developers has moved in fits and starts because of the carrier’s desire to protect their proprietary networks, according to Senior Research Analyst, S&P Global, Lynnette Luna. With the advent of 5G and the move toward Open RAN, that appears to be changing. For example, DISH Wireless began an API developers hub last November for its Open RAN 5G network.
Telefónica’s CAMARA (Telco Global API Alliance) industry initiative was undertaken with Deutsche Telekom and other operators, vendors and hyperscalers for the development of network APIs. At MWC23, Telefónica showed enterprise, mission critical and consumer applications that are supposed to give more consistency to the network.
“The operators need to provide the infrastructure and let the developers do what they do best – provide the applications,” Luna said. “That will lead to success in monetizing their networks.”
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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