Telecom Lead India: GSMA has reached an agreement to
integrate major programs and initiatives driven by the Wholesale Applications
Community (WAC) into the GSMA.
Apigee, a provider of API products and services, has
acquired the technology assets of WAC.
Apigee will develop and evolve the WAC Web Run Time and
network application programming interfaces (APIs) and will provide these assets
as a managed service to the GSMA and its mobile operator members.
Since its inception, WAC has been committed to
simplifying the developer experience and fostering innovation through an open
web run time and cross-operator API platform,” said Franco Bernabe, chairman,
GSMA and chairman and CEO, Telecom Italia Group.
In February, WAC launched its Payment API, an operator
billing service that enables customers to pay for digital goods via their
operator bill. WAC’s Payment API offers developers an easy way to monetize
their applications across a range of platforms and technologies, using a
reliable, cross-operator billing service.
The WAC Payment API has launched or is in trial with
leading operators including AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, KT, LGU+, SK Telecom,
Smart Communications, Telefónica and Telenor, and is in development with a
further 12 operators. The WAC Web Run Time has been enabled on approximately 12
million devices to date with a successful deployment by operators including KT,
LGU+, SK Telecom and Smart Communications.
We are proud of the work that the team has done in
developing and incubating an open, web-based platform that can run applications
and utilise network APIs across multiple devices and operating systems,” said
Michel Combes, chairman, WAC.
AT& will be supporting the network API project as it
transitions into the GSMA.
Our industry needs a cross-operator solution for network
and operator-based APIs such as messaging, billing and authentication. This
will enable consumers to experience more compelling applications and reap the
benefits of the mobile Internet,” said John Donovan, senior executive vice
president – AT&T Technology and Network Operations.
The WAC Web Run Time, based on HTML5 technology, has
demonstrated the possibilities for delivering cross-operating system
applications. With HTML5, we believe our developers can easily adapt from one
platform to another and provide our customers with the greater usage of
applications across multiple devices and multiple screens,” said Terry Ahn,
executive vice president of Mobile Business Group of KT.
