Which LatAm telcos are joining GSMA’s Open Gateway project?

Several Latin American operators have announced they will join GSMA's Open Gateway project, which creates a universal framework of network application programming interfaces (APIs).

A common platform will reduce the dispersion of the application market, making it easier for developers to create applications for mobile networks.

The project, supported by 21 operators around the world, was announced on the first day of the global mobile telecommunication event MWC 2023, being held in Barcelona, Spain.

Telefónica, América Móvil, TIM, Orange and AT&T are the companies operating in Latin America and the Caribbean that have already signed the memorandum of understanding with GSMA.

Telefónica is one of the main promoters of Open Gateway, with CEO José María Álvarez Pallete speaking at MWC about the new open API platform. 

When asked about the initiative by BNamericas, José Juan Haro, Telefónica's director of regulation and wholesale business for Latin America, said “[Open Gateway] is something that the Telefónica’s group is interested in doing globally.”

He added that the company is working on the infrastructure side, but could not confirm any time frame for the launch of open APIs in Latin America. 

Through its open innovation initiative Wayra, Telefónica has launched a global call for startups that are working on disruptive technologies with applications based on Open Gateway. The startups will be financed with a total amount between 100,000 and 5mn euros (up to US$5.2mn). 

The Early Adopter Program is created in collaboration with Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud and Vonage.

TIM also announced that it will launch Open Gateway in its Italian and Brazilian operations. 

In Brazil, the launch of the platform will bring solutions to market based on the Internet of Things network and mobile coverage. This will enable TIM Brasil to further enhance its connectivity service offering for businesses, enabling enterprise and industrial applications, the company said in a release.

"The catalogue of APIs made available to developers will be progressively enhanced starting from the number verification and SIM swap, with progressive enrichment in the following months," the Italian company added.

Meanwhile, América Móvil said that Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico will be the first operations to have open APIs under the umbrella of this project. The company will then extend Open Gateway to other operations in the future.

Over the next 12 months, the initiative will continue through early adoption programs for developers, organized by members of the GSMA.