GSMA Announces Commercial Launch Of Developer-Friendly API Gateway To Major Canadian Operators

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NEW ORLEANS, May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA, working closely with the three major Canadian operators - Bell Mobility, Rogers Communications and TELUS, has launched its GSMA OneAPI* Gateway. The Gateway offers application developers a simple way to connect to and use a standard set of APIs (application programming interfaces) available from Canadian Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). This allows applications to operate regardless of which MNO and device the mobile subscriber is using, reducing time to market and integration costs. The Gateway will be operated by Transaction Network Services (TNSI) on behalf of the GSMA and a portal where the developer can easily contract with the various MNOs: http://oneapi-gw.gsma.com, it is also showcased on TNSI's booth in Hall E, #4124 at CTIA held this week in New Orleans.

"Previously, application developers were required to implement many different interfaces to MNOs from their application to launch cross-network services, and now with the GSMA OneAPI Gateway, MNOs and developers benefit from reduced application development and integration time," said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. "By using the GSMA OneAPI Gateway, developers have a larger addressable market, can provide an enhanced customer experience and produce new revenue opportunities for mobile operators and developers alike."

GSMA has been a leader in defining a set of API standards – known as OneAPI, which have been adopted as an agreed global standard for Network APIs working across mobile networks. APIs currently supported by the GSMA OneAPI gateway include Carrier Billing Payment APIs (where a variable price can be charged to the consumer), SMS, and Location, with further OneAPI capabilities such as MMS, Data Connection Profile and call control which may be added later.

"The GSMA OneAPI Gateway will enrich the customer experience by greatly expanding the potential for new and exciting apps that integrate location and payment services across the various device operating systems," said Nauby Jacob, Vice President of Services, Products and Content at Bell Mobility. "Bell is proud that Canadian wireless operators are taking a leading role by adopting this innovative initiative first."

"Rogers supports a standard approach to application development. GSMA OneAPI enables developers to bring innovative applications to the Canadian market quickly and easily," said Upinder Saini, Vice President of New Product Development Rogers Communications.

"GSMA OneAPI meets the need for operator and device-agnostic functionality," said Brent Allison, VP Partner Solutions, TELUS. "We expect developers to see even more value as additional MNOs join and extend the gateway's reach."

The GSMA has established a streamlined web-based contract between the developer and the GSMA, which allows developers to connect to multiple operators much more quickly, with the ability to run live SMS or Location API based apps (to a small number of mobile numbers to facilitate app testing) within just a few minutes of signing up. The GSMA OneAPI gateway can also manage obtaining authorisation from the consumer to provide their location to the developer and can also confirm consumer authorisation for payment requests. This simplifies the app for the developer whilst ensuring that appropriate authorisations are received from the consumer. The OneAPI Gateway is aimed at making it easier for developers to create many more mobile services and applications. The benefit to mobile operators will be that more developers create more applications reaching more mobile users far more simply than ever before. This in turn leads to increased network service usage and therefore revenues for mobile operators.

The formal production launch of the GSMA OneAPI Gateway follows a successful commercial pilot which was launched in February 2010 in Canada and aimed to lower the technical and commercial barriers to entry. This pilot programme demonstrated the commercial benefits of a single gateway approach and use of Network API's to improve conversation rates, reduce refunds, and maintain subscriber privacy. The Gateway is available to any developer and any operator.

Notes to Editors:

WIP Connector will present on GSMA OneAPI Gateway in the Innovation Stage in the Exhibition Hall of CTIA on Tuesday 8th of May from 1pm to 2pm.

*OneAPI is the GSMA's "Open Network Enabler API" suite of Network APIs. GSMA OneAPI is a set of lightweight and Web friendly APIs that allows mobile and other network operators to expose useful network information and capabilities to Web application developers. Use of these APIs reduces the effort and time needed to create applications and content that is portable across mobile operators. GSMA OneAPI is developed in public and based on existing Web standards and principles. Any network operator or service provider is able to implement GSMA OneAPI.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Congress. 

For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at www.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at http://www.gsmworld.com.

SOURCE GSMA