True Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding with GSMA on Wednesday to join a strategic alliance to jointly develop mobile network open application programming interfaces (APIs) with 31 global mobile network operators to provide services in Thailand for business organisations and developers to efficiently connect with True's network.
According to Manat Manavutiveth, True's chief executive, the mobile network open APIs would be created and developed in collaboration with GSMA alliances with services starting with eight network APIs, comprising SIM swap protection, quality on demand, device status, number verification, simply edge discovery, one-time password SMS, carrier billing-check out and device location.
True will deploy all eight APIs to provide services in Thailand. At the same time, it will join forces with leading mobile operator alliances worldwide to develop new Network Open APIs to enhance the global telecom industry in order to cater to customer usage and build sustainable future business growth, he added.
Through these eight network APIs under GSMA open gateway development, Mr Manat said True expects to provide some APIs to the local market by the end of this year, including SIM swap protection, number verification and device location.
SIM swap protection is the first priority of the targeted launch as SIM swap is the most critical cause of fraud facing users at present.
Mr Manat said True is among the 32 leading network operators worldwide and the first in Thailand to sign up as a strategic alliance partner under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.
The initiative represents a strategic alliance to jointly develop mobile network open APIs with 31 other mobile network operators.
With the cooperation of several organisations, Mr Manat said startup network, tech business operators and software and application developers would create state-of-the-art digital innovation and promote the country's digital economy. Mobile Network Open APIs will help startups, local and international developers to connect functions, applications and various platforms of True's network under the same open APIs as other network providers worldwide.
"The collaboration is a key milestone that reflects True's vision as a leading telecom-tech company which will be more than a network provider as well as the potential to enhance the network capacity to meet international standards along with creating a digital ecosystem," Mr Manat said.
Julian Gorman, head of Asia-Pacific at GSMA, said Mobile Network Open APIs were jointly established by leading mobile operators globally to allow developers and organisations to access and interact with the functions and data of network operators under common APIs, with the ability to connect and accommodate various digital innovation services from every corner of the world.