A journey through Telefónica Open Gateway 2024: lessons learned and next steps

Open Gateway was first announced at Mobile World Congress 2023, leaving the public expectant of the possibilities that could be achieved. This Telco industry initiative, led by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), is transforming telecommunications networks so that different stakeholders can benefit from the full power of the network. What seemed like a revolutionary idea at the time is now a reality.   
  
Over the past two years, the GSMA's collaboration with operators around the world has led to the development of global, standardised APIs that are leading change in the digital ecosystem. From improvements in anti-fraud systems in applications, to better connectivity in drone flights, there are already many cases that make use of these APIs. Companies looking for a leap in quality in their operations have been able to find it after the implementation of these tools, which have been evolving throughout 2024.   
  
Thus, this year has been marked by milestones at the global level of the initiative and by advances in the work we are carrying out at Telefónica Open Gateway. Discover some of the highlights and achievements we have made in recent months:   

During this year, Open Gateway has expanded to a presence in 24 markets around the world, which translates into the participation of 271 network operators. This growth covers more than 74% of network connections globally, making it easier for developers to access APIs and empowering the creation of innovative digital services.  
  
The GSMA launched a Responsible Artificial Intelligence Roadmap for the telco sector, designed to help adopt and measure responsible and ethical approaches to AI. Following extensive consultation with the sector, these approaches have been adopted and combined with existing global regulations, recommendations and standards from international organisations such as the OECD and UNESCO's recommendation. This initiative has been promoted by Axiata, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telstra and by us, Telefónica.  
  
In September 2024, we announced the creation of a joint venture with 11 other operators and Ericsson to create and sell network APIs on a global scale. In this way, we seek to offer our communications networks to drive innovation in new digital services. The other companies that are part of this new milestone are: Vodafone, Orange and Deutsche Telekom in Europe; AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon in the United States; Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Singtel in Asia; América Móvil in Latin America; and Telstra in Australia. Ericsson will own 50% of the company and the operators will share equally the remaining 50%.  The transaction is expected to close in early 2025, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.   
  
In addition, in November 2024, we announced the start-up of the first joint multi-operator innovation lab in Europe, in collaboration with Vodafone, MasOrange and the i2CAT research centre. It is an environment designed for developers, allowing companies and creators to explore and leverage the capabilities of Telcos. It seeks to accelerate the adoption of interoperable APIs, creating joint use cases and unifying performance in an accessible and collaborative environment.  

One of the major milestones of the year has been the geographic expansion of our APIs. In 2023 we landed in Brazil with a series of anti-fraud APIs and in 2024 we have taken a major leap forward with multi-operator commercial and pre-commercial launches in different countries:   
   
Launch 1 | Spain. Together with Vodafone and Orange, we made the Number Verification and SIM Swap APIs commercially available in February during an event hosted by the GSMA at the Telefónica District premises.  
  
Launch 2 | Germany. During the Mobile World Congress 2024 we announced the commercial launch of these devices in this country. O2 Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone have been the first operators to take this step forward in Germany, offering companies tools to verify the identity of users and detect possible fraud related to SIM card exchange.  
  
Pre-launch 3 | Chile y Argentina. The next step in our global expansion is Latin America, so in both countries the GSMA convened forums to announce a pre-launch of different APIs. In Chile, the APIs being developed jointly with Claro and Entel are SIM Swap, Device Location Verification and Device Status. In Argentina, these APIs were joined by Number Verification, which focuses on improving the detection and prevention of fraud in financial transactions.  

This year we have expanded our portfolio of APIs, introducing two new tools that address specific needs for the drone ecosystem and provide innovative solutions for flight planning:  
  
API 1 | Population Density Data. It facilitates access to dynamic information about population density in a specific area and time. This solution allows estimating the number of people that will be under a drone's path so that drone operators can apply the necessary safety measures, reduce potential risks and select less crowded areas.    
  
API 2 | Dynamic Airspace Connectivity Data. It allows obtaining data on the connectivity provided by 4G and 5G networks along a route in the airspace for a given date and time. In this way, more efficient navigation and continuous communication with the drone is achieved.  

Throughout the year we have developed several case studies in conjunction with other companies, demonstrating the capabilities of our APIs and the innovative solutions we offer to a wide range of sectors. The last editions of Mobile World Congress and Telefónica Innovation Day were two great dates full of milestones and presentations, where we unveiled our most innovative demos:   
  
Mobile World Congress 2024  
  
Demo 1 | Enhancing sporting experiences in the stadium and at home. For the Copa del Rey basketball final, we decided to integrate our APIs together with the YBVR application to transform the user experience inside the stadium. This app offered immersive 180° and 360° camera views, powered by APIs such as Device Location Verification to detect whether the attendee was actually inside the stadium to deliver the content, Carrier Billing to facilitate secure payments, and QoD Mobile to optimise connectivity in a crowded environment. From home, Movistar Immersive Experience, accessible with virtual reality glasses, allowed fans to enjoy the match with real-time statistics, replays and virtual rooms to interact with friends. The Wi-Fi QoD API prioritised the connection of Meta Quest devices to ensure smooth and uninterrupted transmission.   
  
Demo 2 | Connected transport routes. Frete.com is the largest road freight transport platform in Latin America. Capitalising on advances in technology and the digital transformation, it's seeking to streamline and secure its onboarding processes. The integration of the Know Your Customer - Match API has enabled it to validate the identities of drivers during registration, verifying data such as the CPF (Brazilian ID card) and mobile phone number. It thus secures safer transport routes without undermining the quality of the user experience.  
  
Demo 3 | Banking onboardings with an extra layer of security. Daycoval, one of the most relevant banks in Brazil, implemented our SIM Swap API to address fraud risks in the registration and authentication processes. This API detects suspicious changes to the SIM card, preventing phishing attempts. In addition to enhancing security, Daycoval has optimised the onboarding process, allowing users to complete registrations quickly and securely, resulting in a smoother experience.  
  
Demo 4 | Transactions with lower risk of digital fraud. In 2024, Telefónica Open Gateway has focused on developing anti-fraud solutions for the banking sector. Itaú is the largest private bank in Brazil and faces new challenges to maintain the security of its clients when making transactions through its online channels. With the SIM Swap API integration, you can prevent potential SIM swapping crimes and verify the identity of your customers to enable these processes. It can thus offer a more efficient and secure experience for its users.  
  
Demo 5 | Second-hand fashion up-to-date with the latest in security. Vinted is a second-hand fashion e-commerce that allows users to sell, buy and exchange items they no longer use. Online sales of these products are growing exponentially thanks to the comfort and flexibility offered to users. However, companies are becoming exposed to new risks, including digital fraud and loss of user trust. After integrating the Number Verification API, this platform adds an additional layer of security to your registration processes, to reduce the risk to which your clients are exposed. Additionally, this tool simplifies the identification process, making the consumer experience more comfortable and simple.  
  
Telefónica Innovation Day 2024  
  
Demo 1 | Drone route planning and in-flight connectivity. In the context of U-Space, the ecosystem that regulates and facilitates the integration of drones in airspace, our APIs have played a key role. In this demo we made use of the Dynamic Airspace Connectivity Data API to provide connectivity information at different altitudes prior to take-off, while the Population Density Data API allowed us to assess the connectivity of areas over which the drones planned to fly. Both were complemented by the QoD Mobile API, which adjusted the drone's quality of service to keep the video to the operator on-air and avoid interruptions, achieving a much more consistent and satisfying viewing experience.  
  
Demo 2 | Increasing the security of banking transactions. This solution was focused on fraud detection and prevention in the banking sector, a particularly vulnerable area for users. We created our own web application to simulate transfer processes, called Nevele Bank. We integrate our tools Number Verification, SIM Swap, Device Location Verification and Device Status to demonstrate their fundamental value in providing identity verification, transaction authorisation and multi-factor integration by context.  

The past year has been full of technological innovation, with advanced solutions and cutting-edge proposals that are shaping the digital services of the future. Telefónica Open Gateway is just getting started and 2025 will bring new surprises that will leave you open-mouthed. If you want to be the first to find out about them, we invite you to subscribe to our monthly newsletter. Keep up to date on our progress, industry news and upcoming events where we will be present. We look forward to seeing you!