An API To Telco-Enhance Your App

Apigee API Exchange arrives this month as an API exchange platform designed to enable the sharing of data and services through apps.

Initially targeted and made available for the telecommunications industry, this model for API interoperability is hoped to create expanded reach for both operators and developers with "telco-enhanced" mobile app experiences.

Apigee CEO Chet Kapoor says that being able to share services and data through interoperable APIs is crucial to establishing digital ecosystems in any industry.

"This is especially true in industries where competition or regulation has created fragmentation, such as in telecommunications, healthcare, and travel. The API Exchange will let consumers use apps and APIs seamlessly across disparate businesses within an industry, similar to roaming on mobile phones," he said.

"The API Exchange is designed to deliver API federation and simplify the development of apps across any industry where fragmentation is an issue. It provides a flexible solution that allows API providers to use industry standard APIs or their own customized APIs and still interoperate. In an API Exchange-powered ecosystem, application developers can build apps with data that can be consumed by a broad range of users across disparate API providers," he added.

Through the API Exchange, operators expose network APIs such as payment, identity, and messaging, which are federated to provide the cross-operator reach. Developers of apps and web services can integrate these APIs to enrich the functionality and improve the user experience of their apps.

The API Exchange includes APIs for onboarding app and API providers, validation and federation of app usage, metadata management, logging and rating of app usage, and cross-provider billing for financial settlement between providers.