Predrag Biskupovic, CEO & CTO Logate explains how Open APIs will allow telcos to integrate Network Functions (NFs) with third party software using the same standards and interfaces.
My API story: Adding value to network functions
Tell us about yourself and your job
I am the Chief Technical Officer and System Architect for Logate telecom products, involved in programming to create in-depth insights for our products. In my role, I focus on executing Logate's vision of network functions digitalization relaying on open-source projects and components, creating software defined telecom architecture for the future. I have more than 20 years’ experience of creating software that helps telecoms through their digital transformations. With Logate, I design software defined network functions as both Virtualized Network Function (VNF) and Cloud-Native Function (CNF), including Virtualized Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Unified Data Repository (UDR), Unified Data Management (UDM) software for all access technologies 2G/3G/4G/5G.
Why do you believe in TM Forum’s Open API program?
The Open APIs provide an opportunity to introduce better disaggregation between network function elements and to eliminate vendor lock in that is bad both for telecoms and small, specialized vendors like Logate. As an open-source enthusiast and developer, I believe that the Open APIs initiative is the right way to proceed in a rapidly growing digital ecosystem.
What TM Forum Open APIs are most valuable to your company?
Account Management API, Product Catalog Management API, Product Ordering API, Resource Function Activation and Configuration API and Activation and Configuration API
Why did you choose to highlight those APIs?
Our intention is to provide standardized interfaces to the wider ecosystem going beyond our specific Network Functions. These Open APIs will allow our telecom clients to use our Network Functions (NFs) and be integrated with 3rd party software and NFs using the same standards and interfaces.
What are your plans for the adoption of the Open APIs in your company?
Logate will work on adopting TM Forum Open APIs and fully integrating them into our Network Functions, as we can see their benefits. Our Network Functions in their next release will introduce the first set of Open APIs as we already see emerging requests from our telco clients.
How will you use those APIs?
TM Forum Open APIs will allow Logate Network Functions (NFs) to better disaggregate components and functions within them and help us seamlessly integrate with 3rd party Network Functions, telecom environments and virtualization infrastructure.
What benefits will the Open APIs bring you?
They will add additional value to our Network Functions, as telcos that are planning to introduce our NFs will be able to interconnect them with 3rd party NFs or OSS/BSS components. Since many telcos the recognize value of TM Forum Open APIs, they are more often required from us as vendors.
To learn more about Logate visit: logate.com