November 2014
The Global API Federation
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policy
Interoperability is a critical need
There is an explosion of the number and types of:

Networks

Services & Operations

Operators & Service Providers
This demands:

Interoperability of Networks

Interworking of applications and transparency between services

Interfacing between operators & service providers
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A cross-operator strategy is key for an attractive API
proposition within the Telco industry
Large Enterprises & Industries
Content (music, video, games...)
Serve customers irrespective of the
operator who enables their
connectivity
Social Networks
Automotive
other 212
next 50
next 20
next 10
CM
NTT
CU
TEF
CU
AM
KDDI
VOD
VZW
AT&T
E-Commerce
Telcos
Customer reach is restricted by
regional footprints
GSMA is facilitating a cross-operator approach to enable co-operation of
different industries with different footprints
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The API Exchange is …


An enabling technology platform for operators
–
Delivering customer base discoverability to service providers
–
Engineered by operators, GSMA and our technology partner, Apigee
–
For the GSMA, by Apigee, the service platform for operators is based on a
Master Service agreement, to ensure major functional and commercial
characteristics
Light of touch federation architecture, not old school “man-in-themiddle” aggregation architecture, allows operators to
–
Own the direct developer / service provider relationship
–
Market cross-operator API via your normal channels / platforms, e.g. your
developer portal
–
Keep in control of your Network API exposure endpoint
–
Manage your authentication policy, i.e. which developers / which apps are
allowed to use it and general policy
–
Manage customer consent (security / user experience)
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What is Mobile Connect?

The first Identity API to be launched on the API Exchange
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The API Exchange is the key platform for federated
interoperable Mobile Connect deployments
Service
Service
Service
Providers
Providers
Providers
Developer
Portal
Mobile
Connect
NetworkMNO
Operator
MNO
Operators directly deploying
Mobile Connect and providing
facilities for Developers/Service
Providers to on-board
Mobile
Connect
Network
MNO
Operator
MNO
Operators directly deploying
Mobile Connect, but who
cannot support Service
Provider on-boarding
An option
to facilitate
Service
Provider
on-boarding
Mobile
Connect
Developer
Portal
API federation
for global,
cross-operator
reach
Mobile
Connect
Accelerator
Network
MNO
Operator
MNO
Operators deploying
Mobile Connect via a
GSMA managed service
partner
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The API Exchange Value Proposition

Developers and service providers can access a worldwide customer database
of all operators’ subscribers
–




For on-boarding, they can work with one operator or in time, on-board for
the Mobile Connect API via the Mobile Connect Developer Portal
Develop once, deploy anywhere quickly and easily will be compelling to
developers and services providers alike, especially at large global brands
A global ecosystem of developers, service providers and a worldwide customer
base enabled by operators will stimulate innovation, usage and revenues
A simple, yet sophisticated framework for cooperation, similar to the successful
roaming cooperation
Native and web apps on any kind of device will benefit
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The API Exchange can be utilised in a phased approach
Business process support
low
high
high
Time-to-launch
Integration effort
API Exchange cost
API Exchange Prime / Premium
 Support for business process
federation across operators
 Efficient & scalable to serve
many Service Providers / apps
in a multi-operator
environment
low
API Exchange Base
 Offering global Network API federation
when 3rd party apps invoke the operator
capability via a Network API
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API Exchange Base
Global API federation capability
App user
(Subscriber of
Operator B)
Flow
Application
(Service Provider/Developer)
1
API
invocation
Application calls central “Discovery” capability to
determine to which operator a subscriber / user of
the application belongs, leveraging IP address,
MSISDN, …
Return: Operator B details, API exposure endpoint
address and access credentials
2
API
API
1
Operator A
Operator B
Discovery
2
Application calls “API” of discovered, Operator B
(optional): Operator calls “Request Validator” to
validate API access credentials
Request
Validator
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The API Exchange Prime/Premium
Business process and scalability for apps / developers / operators

Developer / service provider registration at one(1) place

App on-boarding (technical)
–

T&Cs management
–
All Network Operator T&Cs
–
Developers / service providers sign T&Cs from all operators at one(1) place
–

Complete resource provision, i.e. SDK, specifications, sandbox access …
Developers / service providers become notified of Network Operator
changed T&Cs to confirm acceptance
App registration and API endpoint credential management at one(1) place
A Global API Federation
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(1) “one” place can be any operator or (complementary) a central common service provider portal
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The API Exchange Prime/Premium
Business process and scalability for apps / developers / operators

App approval including black/white listing by all operators

API usage reporting; aggregation from all participating operators

Support for settlement (in case of a paid-for API)
–
–
Support for a consolidated settlement with service provider /
developers across all operators
Support for inter-operator settlement in case service provider is settled
by a single party on behalf of all participating operators
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Status of the API Exchange

API Exchange is available today
–
–
Mobile Connect is the first API to utilise the API Exchange
It is in production for the cross-operator Mobile Connect API pilot in Sri
Lanka

It can also be used for other APIs

Documentation is available from GSMA and Infocentre 2

GSMA facilitates operators to enter into federation agreements


The Master Service contract with Apigee is signed – providing a solid
basis for operators to leverage it
API Exchange in its baseline version is FREE for operators
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
The API Exchange has been engineered by a GSMA effort, shaped by
major operators, built by Apigee

Apigee operates and provides API Exchange to operators.

Apigee contracts directly with each participating operator

Please contact us to receive more information
New requirements
Operator
Operator
Operator
Contract for
service definition,
commercials, IPR,
service evolution, …
Contract for the
API Exchange
service provisioning
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