Nokia: Shaping the future of developer experience with network APIs

Tech is evolving at lightning speed, and so are the demands on network developers. They need tools that cut through complexity, streamline processes, and allow them to build faster without getting lost in a maze of technical hurdles.

That’s where strategic partnerships come in, and our partnership with Nokia is a great example of how two industry leaders can co-create something truly powerful for developers.

We sat down with Shkumbin Hamiti, VP of Nokia’s Network Monetization Platform during our annual Shift Conference, to discuss the future of network programmability and how our partnership with Nokia is shaping the future of developer experience.

The power of Infobip’s CPaaS and Nokia’s Network as Code

As a leading CPaaS provider, our goal has always been to help businesses reach more customers wherever they are and whenever they want. Our cloud communications platform is built to help developers integrate a range of real-time communication channels, such as SMS, Voice, Video, and chat apps, into their existing systems using simple APIs.

On the flip side, Nokia is opening up the world of 5G network capabilities through its Network as Code platform. They’ve built a developer-friendly portal that lets developers tap into network features like quality of service (QoS) on demand, device location precision, and network slicing.

This high-tech stuff was once only accessible to network engineers, but now, it’s right there in the hands of developers.

Our partnership with Nokia is giving developers a simplified, streamlined way to build better, more robust applications without worrying about the complexities of network tech.

The Elmo project

In this project, a driving console in Helsinki is connected to a Croatian telecom network, Infobip’s communications platform, and Nokia’s network platform.

The result? A person in Helsinki can remotely drive a car in the streets of Finland, with all the seamless communication and network capabilities powered by our platforms.

But what makes this possible? A secure, high-quality network that ensures ultra-low latency and reliability, both of which are essential for real-time, remote applications like this one.

The collaboration between Infobip, Nokia, and Elmo is just one example of how we can deliver innovative solutions to a broader audience. By combining the power of our all-in-one communications platform with Nokia’s network capabilities, we’re unlocking new, exciting opportunities for developers to explore.

However, this also unlocks new monetization opportunities for Telcos. Let’s find out how.

Unlocking monetization opportunities with network APIs

Telcos have always focused on providing services to consumers, but now there’s a huge opportunity to expose more network capabilities to developers. Shkumbin emphasized the need for a new business model in the telecom industry.

“Traditional telco business models which revolve around offering a fixed set of services to consumers are no longer enough. Traditional telco business models are starting to feel outdated.”

This opens up new ways for telcos to generate revenue by offering 5G-powered APIs to developers and enterprises, enabling them to integrate:

• Real-time communications
• location based services
• IoT integration
• Quality of service (QoS) controls

These new 5G capabilities will be exposed through data service APIs which are more readily available across global telecom networks and countries, making it seamless and easy for developers to access within a controlled and federated market. 

Infobip plays a key role in this by seamlessly integrating Nokia’s advanced network APIs into our CPaaS platform. Developers don’t need to become experts in networking, they can just use these powerful APIs alongside the rest of our tools with which they’re already familiar.

It’s all about making it easier for developers to create high-impact solutions faster. This not only improves developer productivity but also opens up new revenue opportunities for telecom operators by unlocking the potential of network programmability.

The result is a powerful ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders:

A unified developer experience

Our partnership with Nokia offers a simple, cohesive developer experience that lets developers integrate network APIs effortlessly. With everything in one place, from code snippets to sandboxes, sample documentation, and even AI-powered co-pilots, developers can quickly start building apps and access both CPaaS and advanced network capabilities in a single, easy-to-use interface.

As Shkumbin also points out: “Developers don’t want a fragmented experience. They want a unified, seamless platform that lets them get straight to building without getting lost in a maze of complex APIs and documentation.”

By streamlining the process and offering a consistent experience, we’re empowering developers to innovate faster, reduce time-to-market, and ultimately deliver better customer experiences.

The future of network programmability

Our partnership with Nokia is just the beginning. As the telecom industry faces new challenges and pressures, tech partnerships will become even more essential.

The network capabilities available to telcos today, once siloed and difficult to access, are now programmable and ready for integration into a wide range of applications.

This opens up endless opportunities for developers, who are now equipped to create new use cases that were previously beyond reach.

By working together with Nokia, we’re helping shape a future where developers can create the next generation of customer experiences while driving new business models that secure the future of the telecom industry. And we’re excited to see where this journey takes us and you!