While technical standards have matured significantly for telecom network application programming interfaces (APIs), commercial models are still in their infancy. Our survey of 415 software application developers in the US and the UK identifies priority capabilities, preferred commercial models and perceived value for telecom APIs within this new customer base.
Furthermore, this survey presents our findings on developers’ current use of APIs and their preferred access channels.
Overview of developers’ customer segment focus
Key findings from the research:
- Most software application developers do not associate the term ‘network APIs’ with telecom network capabilities. They associate it with management of their wider IT and cloud networks – and in particular with data exchange and communication between applications running on different networks.
- However, there is a baseline awareness of newly emerging telecom APIs developed through CAMARA and GSMA Open Gateway.
- There is clear demand for information from telecom networks which currently available telecom APIs can address – and nearly half of developers work on applications that would benefit from high-performing connectivity.
- Developers mostly want to continue using APIs in the same way they currently do – i.e., subscription model or bundled.
- Hyperscalers are the most crucial partners, but our survey results show that to reach developers in their preferred channel, telcos must also work with systems integrators and develop their own direct channels, alongside the relationships they have already established with aggregator hubs.
Segments
- Overview of survey respondents
- Company size
- Geographical coverage
- Customer segments
- Industry focus
- Use cases
- How developers access and use APIs
- Commercial models
- Adoption of APIs: Barriers and opportunities
- Developer perceptions of telecom network APIs