KUALA LUMPUR: U Mobile Sdn Bhd has launched its Open API Portal, built on the Open GSMA Initiative, becoming the first local telecommunications company to do so with the goal of fostering industry innovation.
According to U Mobile, this initiative aims to accelerate the development of new services and solutions by providing developers, partners, and businesses with access to its suite of APIs.
This access facilitates seamless integration and collaboration, enabling businesses to leverage 5G capabilities to transform their operations.
"U Mobile has a strong track record of innovation over the past 17 years and being the first telco in Malaysia to launch an Open API Portal is a testament that we are further strengthening our commitment to growth and innovation, as well as our drive to elevate customer experience," said the company's chief information officer Neil Tomkinson.
"This initiative is an outcome of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) we signed to join the GSMA Open Gateway Initiative at this year's Mobile World Congress. As Malaysia's future second 5G network provider, we are also looking forward to collaborating with more partners to bring innovative 5G and 5G-Advanced solutions to enterprises in this AI-driven digital economy."
The API suite enables seamless integration of messaging, voice, data, and network services and features an intuitive interface that simplifies development. It also offers a secure, isolated environment for testing and experimenting with APIs, while serving as a dedicated platform for support, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
U Mobile has been selected by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to deploy Malaysia's second 5G network, signaling a transition from the Single Wholesale Network (SWN) model to a Dual Wholesale Network (DWN) system.
The rollout of the second 5G network is expected to cost U Mobile around RM3 billion over the next two years, with an additional estimated RM1 billion annually to achieve coverage targets.
To help finance these expenses, the company is reportedly exploring the possibility of an initial public offering (IPO).