Open Gateway: A New Era for Mobile, With Infinite Possibilities

In today's article, I want to talk about a technology that I believe will bring about major changes, as it opens up endless possibilities by utilizing features of mobile operator networks that have until now been closed to commercial use.

Each of us is connected to a network with our cellphones, through the mobile operator we choose to use for our service. These networks allow us to have voice and data. Networks have also been evolving. Let's remember that just 20 years ago, mobile phone networks used GSM and CDMA, with limited internet speeds. Today, that seems like a long time ago. With the speeds offered by the 5G network, many innovative services have emerged. But that's not all: These networks offer features that hadn't been made available before. Now, through a GSMA initiative, Open Gateway has been created.

Open Gateway was designed and created by the GSMA, a global organization that works with mobile operators to establish standards for communications, security, and mobile innovation in the ecosystem.

As a reference, surely many of us have heard of the event that brings together the world's entire mobile ecosystem: the Mobile World Congress. This great congress is organized by the GSMA.

By using APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which are now common and are used to connect and communicate between two or more systems, we can connect to operators' network functionalities through the Open Gateway standard.

Among the functions supported by Open Gateway are cellphone number verification, SIM swap, and device location, among others.

Interacting with these APIs opens the door for developers to implement smarter, more secure applications that can detect fraud in real time, provide location-based services, and provide identity verification.

In combination with the 5G network, where bandwidth and latency are lower, we will soon see services that will make our lives easier and safer.

The great advantage is that Open Gateway, being a standard, will facilitate integration with the different operators that implement this technology. The good news is that in Mexico, AT&T, Telcel, Telefónica, and Altan are adopting and advancing in its integration. This means that with a single integration, we will provide service to the main cellular telephone networks.

In May, the GSMA organized an event in Mexico City called M360 LATAM, where the topics of technology, innovation, and business were discussed. A forum was also held with the participation of the main operators in Mexico to discuss the effort being made to launch Open Gateway services.

In Mexico, operators have announced that they will launch three services in the initial phase: SIM Swap, number verification, and device location.

At Concepto Móvil, we are committed to innovation, security, and the service we provide to our customers, and we are working hand in hand with operators to offer and spearhead these services.

In today's world, where cyberattacks and fraud are commonplace and where we are exposed to so much information, it's easy to fall victim. Open Gateway is definitely the technology that will help reduce these risks.

Let's imagine a use case where we can be notified in real time when our mobile SIM has been changed. This could be useful for banks or companies that, by sending an OTP (One Time Password) code, can know if the SIM to which they are sending the message has been recently changed, helping to avoid the the possibility of fraud. 

Another scenario with significant potential is the use of the number verification service, where instead of receiving SMS messages with an OTP, the user is automatically authenticated without any interaction.

Another very useful use case is location verification. Imagine a scenario where someone tries to use your bank card in a location where you are not at. This functionality could prevent the theft of your funds because the banking institution would detect the possible fraud and reject the transaction.

These are just a few examples, but the possibilities are endless, and although the end user may not be aware of Open Gateway services, they will make their life easier and safer.

Since these services have enormous potential, they must be used responsibly, and this is where the GSMA and mobile phone operators come in by establishing guidelines for their use.

Without a doubt, these are services we will be using in the future.

As always, I am happy to hear from you and share new ideas: sergio@conceptomovil.com