Barcelona, March 4, 2025 – Telefónica has announced significant advancements in the global implementation of Open Gateway at the MWC Barcelona 2025, the GSMA initiative aimed at transforming telecommunications networks into open and future-ready platforms. During the session “Open Collaboration to Innovate”, held at Telefónica’s booth, Chema Alonso, the company’s Chief Digital Officer, showcased the achievements made and new strategic partnerships with key technology companies.
Since its launch in 2023, Telefónica has closed agreements with over 50 large companies globally and is in negotiations with a growing number of firms interested in integrating the APIs of Open Gateway into their digital services. To support this expansion, Telefónica has a network of over 20 business partners, a number that continues to increase.
TikTok and Telefónica Expand Collaboration in Europe
One of the highlights was the expansion of collaboration between Telefónica and TikTok, initiated at MWC 2024, to enhance the user registration process with the “Number Verification” API. This solution will allow users to register on TikTok using their mobile number, without the need to receive an SMS or use a third-party verification system, ensuring faster and more secure access.
The solution is set to launch in Brazil in the first half of 2025, with plans for expansion into strategic markets in Europe.
Additionally, both companies announced the creation of a new API called “Age Verification”, developed under the CAMARA framework, an open-source project by the GSMA and the Linux Foundation. This API aims to strengthen age verification measures on TikTok and other digital platforms by combining the technology of “Number Verification” and “KYC” (Know Your Customer).
Cabify to Implement Number Verification API
Carlos Herrera Yagüe, CTO of Cabify, joined the session to announce that the mobility company will integrate the “Number Verification” API into its registration processes.
Thanks to this integration, Cabify users will be able to register without needing to receive an SMS code, which streamlines the process and enhances security. This technology enables automatic verification that the user is interacting from a device with a SIM card associated with a specific phone number, without the need for credentials or temporary passwords.
Open Gateway Reaches Public Administration in Madrid
Telefónica also announced an agreement with the Community of Madrid to implement Open Gateway in digital public services. Miguel López-Valverde Argüeso, Councilor for Digitalization of Madrid, participated in the presentation to highlight how these APIs will improve the efficiency of public administration in areas such as health, transportation, justice, and tourism.
The goal of this agreement is to modernize the community’s digital services, making them more agile, accessible, and tailored to citizens’ needs.
Innovation Center in Collaboration with AWS
During the event, Ishwar Parulkar, Chief Technologist for Telecom and Edge Cloud at Amazon Web Services (AWS), announced alongside Chema Alonso the creation of an innovation center for SaaS products aimed at telecommunications.
This center will focus on developing cloud-based platforms that combine Telefónica’s data storage and analytics algorithms with AWS infrastructure.
The objective is to offer “plug and play” solutions for telecommunications operators, democratizing access to advanced technologies and reducing the complexity and costs of data-driven services.
Integration of Open Gateway with Google Cloud and Firebase
Telefónica also announced a partnership with Google Cloud to integrate Open Gateway into Google Firebase, a platform with over 3 million active developers.
This integration will enable authentication through the “Number Verification” API, eliminating the need to receive SMS codes and reducing risks associated with phishing and social engineering attacks.
This solution will be available for both Google ecosystem applications and other applications via Firebase.
Furthermore, Telefónica is not the only operator involved in this initiative. AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile, and Telenor are also collaborating in the deployment of this solution, aiming to make it commercially available by the end of 2025.
Telefónica Promotes Open Innovation in Telecommunications
With these announcements, Telefónica reinforces its commitment to Open Gateway as the global standard for innovation in telecommunications, driving collaboration with major tech companies and public administrations to enhance security, efficiency, and the digital experience for millions of users worldwide.
The MWC Barcelona 2025 continues to be the platform where the company showcases its leadership in transforming the industry with strategic partnerships that solidify its role in the global digital ecosystem.