Catenaa, Sunday, January 04, 2026-Network APIs made major advances in 2025, moving from niche service delivery tools to central connectors in the global digital ecosystem, industry analysts say.
Standardisation efforts and cross-industry partnerships helped expand their adoption across regions and services, creating new revenue opportunities for telecom operators.
The launch of Aduna, based on the GSMA’s CAMARA standard, set a benchmark for API collaboration.
Led by CEO Anthony Bartolo, Aduna brought together operators including Ericsson, Orange, and Bouygues Telecom, alongside platform partners such as Sinch, Wipro, and Tech Mahindra.
In the US, operators leveraged standardised 5G network APIs for identity verification and SIM swap protection, while in Canada a partnership with EnStream integrated network APIs into Aduna’s platform.
Operators also pursued programmable networks and API-driven services.
Ericsson and Telstra deployed Asia-Pacific’s first fully programmable 5G Advanced network, while Telefónica and Nokia expanded 5G standalone APIs, and Bharti Airtel opened API access to third parties in India.
Proximus Global launched an API aggregator club aligned with CAMARA standards.
Industry forecasts project network API revenues reaching billions by 2030, with identity APIs driving significant growth.
Analysts caution that security risks, including API breaches, shadow APIs, and privacy vulnerabilities, remain a challenge. Emerging security-focused APIs, such as Vonage’s fraud-prevention tools, aim to mitigate these threats.
Despite challenges, the sector sees APIs as essential for future telecom services.
Analysts note that continued collaboration, standardisation, and security investment will determine how effectively operators can monetise network APIs while building trust in an increasingly connected ecosystem.
