Developing New Services with Open Gateway
Monetizing by Sharing APIs with External Developers
LG Uplus announced on the 30th that it has signed an agreement with the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) to participate in the 'Open Gateway' initiative and is pursuing a monetization strategy utilizing its network infrastructure.
At the signing ceremony held at the Sofitel Ambassador Hotel in Songpa-gu, Seoul, LG Uplus CTO Lee Sang-yeop and GSMA CTO Alex Sinclair attended and pledged cooperation to establish monetization plans for next-generation digital services through the activation of the Open Gateway. The ceremony was held prior to the Technology Group Meeting, a pre-event of the M360 event hosted by GSMA, scheduled to take place in Seoul on July 1-2.
The Open Gateway is a key GSMA initiative that seeks monetization by sharing telecom operators' network information with external developers through standardized APIs. APIs are tools that allow different software systems to communicate and share functions, enabling developers to easily implement features and simplify service integration.
The goal of the Open Gateway is to create an ecosystem where telecom operators worldwide collaborate to share technology and develop new services faster. Through this, APIs are utilized across various industries, providing demand-based quality of delivery (QoD) improvements in telecom networks, fintech, media, and cloud services, enabling automation and optimized user experiences.
Since announcing the Open Gateway initiative strategy last year, GSMA has promoted participation from global telecom operators. To date, 60 operators responsible for 74% of global mobile connections have signed agreements and opened their APIs. In collaboration with the Linux Foundation, APIs for device location information, identity authentication, and payments have been distributed. Moving forward, new APIs will be designed and deployed to facilitate easy use by developers.
Through the Open Gateway, common APIs among telecom operators have been secured, enabling global business expansion. Participation is especially active among operators in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, where mobile communication services are actively provided across borders. This is expected to expand LG Uplus’s opportunities for exporting overseas services.
In August, LG Uplus signed a joint research agreement with domestic mobile carriers to develop standard open APIs and is collaborating with the Korea Information and Communications Technology Association (TTA), a standardization body, to establish domestic standards within the year.
CTO Sinclair stated, "By LG Uplus participating in the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, developers will be able to universally access domestic and international telecom networks through common APIs. This will lead to the emergence of new functions, services, and applications on 5G networks, creating new economic benefits and providing better customer experiences and enhanced security."
CTO Lee added, "This agreement is a preparatory step toward creating the AI and DX era together with GSMA and global telecom operators. Through the Open Gateway, we will maximize the value of telecom infrastructure and create new revenue models that meet next-generation service requirements, delivering differentiated value to more customers."
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