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AT&T is following Verizon into an API partnership with Ericsson's Vonage
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Other companies like DT and AWS are also signing with Vonage
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Operators are concentrating on enterprise developers for the network APIs
AT&T has followed Verizon into the API game with Ericsson’s Vonage.
“By combining AT&T's API-enabled network capabilities with Vonage's communications and network APIs, the companies are collaborating to drive the creation of an innovative ecosystem by exposing network capabilities through APIs to deliver new services and solutions,” Vonage said in a statement.
AT&T’s move to the Vonage API platform comes shortly after Verizon signed on for Vonage’s API platform earlier this month.
“I think it is a solid sourcing deal for Vonage in expanding its GNP (Global Network Platform) footprint with the big U.S. operators who are going to want to participate in these ‘MVNO’-ish platform/marketplaces for global (and regional) network services eventually,” neXT Curve analyst Leonard Lee said of the Verizon deal.
Now, AT&T and Verizon have signed on for Vonage and Deutsche Telekom has enlisted with Vonage’s parent company Ericsson for network APIs. This comes a year after the GSMA started its Open Gateway open 5G API alliance.
A year isn’t actually a shockingly long time for an operator to adopt a new application or technology. You can look at sometime popular technologies like cellular small cells to see how long it has actually taken operators to adopt them. (It’s five plus years and counting!)
For 5G, operators are focusing on enterprise developers using their network APIs to integrate with business and productivity tools. "We are excited to invite developer communities to take advantage of these new network capabilities,” commented Yigal Elbaz, senior vice president Network CTO, AT&T.
Vonage is not only going after operators as its API partners. The company has also inked a similar API deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS) this February. With AWS initially focusing on offering Vonage’s fraud detection APIs on its marketplace.
No doubt we’ll hear more about open 5G APIs as Mobile World Congress (MWC) starts next week.
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