Network exposure platform from Nokia

Nokia announced Network Exposure Platform, a new software offering that will expand and simplify the number of APIs available to operators, their partners, and customer channels to enable the creation of network powered applications for consumer, enterprise, and industrial customers. 

Nokia Network Exposure Platform (NEP) is the first implementation of the GSMA Operator Platform, a standard that operators look to for operational guidance and reflects the telco industry’s need for solutions that satisfy the requirements of an array of API models. 
Nokia NEP, designed to be deployed with each service provider’s network, will support Linux Foundation CAMARA APIs, TM Forum Open APIs, edge-based APIs, and other APIs for connecting networks securely to a broader B2B digitalization ecosystem. 

Nokia unveils platform to simplify network API exposure for service providers

Nokia NEP complements and seamlessly integrates with Nokia's Network as Code platform with developer portal, which aligns to the GSMA Open Gateway aggregator concept and provides a cloud-based platform to connect and monetize service provider networks with application developers around the world.

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) provide access to deep functionality and data within networks; allowing application developers to utilize those network capabilities to build new use cases for their customers. 

With the software functionality for creating new APIs and enhancing existing ones, Nokia NEP provides a unified, scalable, and secure solution for operators that facilitates seamless API service delivery and interoperability across one or more network environments.

Nokia NEP expands on and is designed to work closely with Nokia Network Exposure Function (NEF), another API-exposure related solution, which is based on 3GPP specifications. Nokia NEF provides a process for interfacing with well-defined functions in the core network. It also enables API mashups to combine multiple APIs from different core functions into new simplified APIs, which are easier to integrate with partner and customer channels.

For existing Nokia NEF customers, it is possible to upgrade to a combined NEF and NEP solution to simplify their API ecosystem.

Amy Cameron, Research Director at STL Partners, said: “Standardisation of APIs and aggregation across telcos will be crucial to scaling the network API opportunity. Alongside development of their own direct models for API monetisation, in order to drive initial developer engagement and adoption of network APIs, telcos must work towards a more federated approach with their peers and technology partners/aggregators. Nokia NEP can help telcos achieve this with tools to organise, control, and secure the way their networks integrate to developer ecosystems and platforms, ensuring choice and flexibility for customers in creating new network exposure use cases.”

Shkumbin Hamiti, Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, said: “Exposing and simplifying access to 5G and 4G network capabilities for channels connecting developers requires a sustained and collaborative effort by all industry players on a variety of technical fronts. Nokia NEP is another meaningful part in that work of enabling operators to organize, control, and secure the way their networks integrate into developer ecosystems and platforms; and driving choice and flexibility for creating new use cases and value for the end customers.”