Unlock the power of network APIs: How CAMARA transforms Telco innovation

The telecom industry is evolving with new innovations, tapping into a world of endless opportunities by connecting customer needs with open-network APIs. New technologies like 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) are transforming the industry, making everything more connected and putting a lot of pressure on networks.

However, capitalizing on these advancements can be a challenge for telcos. With all the different fragmented APIs and inconsistent standards, developers struggle to build innovative apps that leverage the full potential of their networks.

Enter CAMARA, a game-changing project that’s building a set of standard APIs for open network integrations. These integrations will unlock a whole world of opportunities for both telcos and developers and create new revenue streams and monetization opportunities.

Read on to learn more about the CAMARA project and its impact on telco innovation. We will explore some of its potential use cases and how it paves the way for exciting new revenue streams.

As the engine for Open Gateway API development, CAMARA is an open-source project initiated by the Linux Foundation and GSMA to define, develop, and test Application Programming Interfaces (API) standards. The inspiration behind the name CAMARA comes from the Greek word for “arched roof,” symbolizing the collaboration and unity of diverse entities under a single vision.

According to the GSMA, the Open Gateway initiative is a framework of common network APIs designed to provide universal access to operator networks for developers. Those APIs are defined, developed and published in CAMARA.

This  helps developers and cloud providers enhance and deploy services faster on operator networks by accessing the world’s largest connectivity platform through one single point.

To date, over 47 mobile operator groups worldwide, representing over 239 mobile networks and 65% of global connections have signed up for the Open Gateway initiative.

The CAMARA project aims to bridge the gap between customers and Telecom network capabilities across various networks and countries. Working closely with the GSMA Operator Platform Group, the project ensures that API requirements are aligned and optimized for maximum efficiency.

But how do these open APIs work? Let’s find out.

Telco network capabilities have drastically improved with 5G, allowing us to gather data from the network and customize it based on our needs. 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 to access within a controlled and federated market. 

This process is achieved via common, northbound service APIs – supported by the CAMARA Project. CAMARA-compliant APIs provide secure, consistent and on-demand access to these capabilities, turning operator networks into powerful platforms for services.

This open API evolution opens up numerous possibilities for application-to-network integrations, which is essential for delivering enhanced customer experiences in the 5G era.

Through 5G, the CAMARA network APIs coupled with CPaaS, are creating a more integrated and powerful digital user experience. This integrated digital experience could lead to a promising future full of:

By exploring the capabilities of the 5G network further, we see the immense potential of these APIs and the exciting new opportunities they bring to the telecom industry. But how can telcos benefit from this, let’s take a look.

Telcos can benefit from open network APIs in many different ways. Not only do they serve as a puzzle piece connecting applications to one another, but they are critical to enterprises seamlessly tapping into 5G’s powerful capabilities for hundreds of potential use cases.

Here are the top benefits of opening your network APIs:

To date, telcos have invested nearly $1 trillion for network upgrades, and yet they’re still struggling to monetize 5G. However, there is a growing interest in the potential of network APIs to make a difference. These APIs act as the connections that link applications to each other and to telecom networks.

Network APIs offer telcos a promising opportunity to see significant returns on their massive investments in 5G technology. In fact, it is estimated that the network API market could unlock approximately $100 billion to $300 billion in connectivity- and edge-computing and  $10 billion to $30 billion in revenue solely from APIs.

CAMARA empowers you to expose valuable network capabilities to developers, creating a thriving ecosystem of innovative applications and services. How? Using common APIs to access advanced 5G capabilities will enable you to leverage new ways to monetize 5G and quickly deliver new services on a global scale with speed.

By doing so, developers and enterprises will have the opportunity to create innovative applications and functionalities for any connected device using advanced network capabilities such as:

These capabilities are core network components that have not yet been exposed to the global developer community in a unified and easily consumable way. In turn, integrating those network features into new applications will accelerate enterprise digitalization and create new ways for operators to monetize their network investments.

As many telcos look to provide new services, Open Gateway and standardization have become crucial for monetizing subscriber data and solving key pain points and challenges for enterprise customers.

Let’s explore some of the potential 5G use cases for businesses across industries.

Network APIs are critical to enterprises tapping into 5G’s powerful capabilities for hundreds of potential use cases, such as credit card fraud prevention, glitch-free videoconferencing, metaverse interactions, and entertainment.

Other potential use cases include:

Enable real-time video streaming for applications such as live video broadcasting, video conferencing, security monitoring, and more.

Provide location data and services to enable applications such as geotagging, location tracking, route optimization, and location-based advertising.

Network APIs can be integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensors to collect data, monitor processes, and automate tasks in various industries such as smart cities, healthcare, agriculture, and more.

Support VR and AR applications by providing real-time data transmission, low latency communication, and high-quality video streaming for immersive experiences.

Integrate location APIs into existing processes to optimize security, prevent fraud, and protect sensitive customer data.

Enable telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, medical device integration, and healthcare data analytics to enhance patient care, optimize healthcare delivery, and improve outcomes.

Enable personalized shopping experiences, inventory management, location-based advertising, customer engagement, and data analytics for retailers and marketers to drive sales and customer loyalty.

Infobip has partnered with three mobile network operators (MNOs) to launch the first CAMARA-compliant Network APIs in Brazil under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. The collaboration is part of Infobip’s CPaaS enablement solution for telcos, which allows them to easily launch and monetize their emerging services, such as their core network capabilities, exposed through CAMARA APIs.

Through our partnership, Claro Brazil, TIM Brazil, and Vivo (Telefonica Brazil) launched three CAMARA-compliant APIs focused on digital security and anti-fraud: Number Verification, SIM Swap, and Device Location.

This partnership enables Claro, TIM and Vivo to integrate CAMARA-compliant APIs with developers through Infobip’s cloud communications platform, one single point of access.

At MWC this year, we met with Ageu Dantas, Head of Data Analytics and Messaging at Claro Brazil to discuss the impact of open network APIs and how CAMARA will transform the telco industry. Watch the video below for more insight.

As an Open Gateway channel partner, Infobip has played a pivotal role in launching CAMARA APIs for the 3 MNOs in Brazil through:

By partnering with us, you can tap into the GSMA Open Gateway initiative and unlock the full potential of CAMARA APIs.

This will enable you to:

With Infobip, you will have access to a global partner network with a history of strategic telco collaborations, strong developer relationships, and extensive CPaaS knowledge and expertise.