Airtel to share network capabilities via Nokia API platform

Nokia has announced a collaboration with Bharti Airtel to make Airtel’s network capabilities accessible to third-party developers through Nokia’s Network as Code platform and developer portal. The partnership will allow developers and enterprises to use Airtel’s pan-India network resources, supporting the creation of new use cases across multiple industry sectors.

Following successful trials, Airtel’s network APIs will be offered on a subscription basis to developers, system integrators and enterprises via Nokia’s Network as Code platform. This will enable the development of applications that draw on Airtel’s network features, including AI, 5G and edge computing.

Network APIs allow operators to virtualise elements of their networks and provide tailored data and functions to developers. This approach is expected to play an important role in the evolution of network capabilities and may support new revenue models.

Sharat Sinha, CEO of Airtel Business, said,“At Airtel, we aim to bring the wider ecosystem together to support future-focused innovation. Our partnership with Nokia on network APIs enables organisations to make use of our network capabilities for automation and for creating secure digital services.”

Arvind Khurana, Head of Cloud and Network Services, India at Nokia, said,“Our collaboration with Airtel marks a significant step in expanding the Network as Code ecosystem. It reflects our intention to help telecommunications providers derive greater value from their network investments while supporting innovation within the developer community.”

Nokia’s Network as Code platform provides developers with standardised access to network functions without requiring knowledge of the underlying technologies. It connects multiple API ecosystems and offers a range of network exposure options, along with multi-tier API security and simplified access to network capabilities.

The global ecosystem for Nokia’s Network as Code platform now includes more than 60 partners, such as telecommunications operators, AI and data-centre companies, Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) providers, systems integrators and industry-specific software vendors.