The operator-led network API JV with Ericsson will disrupt the aggregation and service platform exposure vendor ecosystem

In September 2024, 12 leading telecoms operators, in partnership with Ericsson, announced a joint venture (JV) aimed at combining and delivering network APIs to channel partners. This initiative is intended to streamline access to multi-operator network APIs worldwide and to reduce the technical and commercial barriers that have hindered widescale adoption of network APIs so far.

Following this announcement, we reflect on insights from an Ericsson-hosted analyst briefing held on 13 September 2024, as well as discussions with key stakeholders to clarify the JV's value and ambition. This article explores whether an ‘API combiner’ is really necessary, and the likely impact of the JV on the network API ecosystem. For further details about this JV and its commercial implications, please also see Analysys Mason’s New operator-led collaborative models for network APIs are encouraging, but will take tenacity to succeed.