WSO2, Axiata Group partner to launch open source API platform

Following 18 months of close collaboration between Axiata Digital Services and WSO2 Inc., the duo has launched WSO2.Telco Inc., yesterday.

The joint venture brings together the specialist team that created WSO2.Telco’s radical new technology platform designed to address the multiple challenges telcos face in providing contextual digital services to their customers and partnering in the connected era. 

The WSO2.Telco platform already powers the Axiata Group with five operating companies connected to a Group API Hub. It is a breakthrough cloud-ready solution that enables mobile network operators (MNOs) to easily establish an agile collaboration layer with Web-centric APIs. The platform represents a new milestone in scalable open source enterprise solutions, allowing telcos to expose, manage and orchestrate multiple network services at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. 

Kumi Thiruchelvam, CEO of WSO2.Telco, said: “APIs are the lifeblood of enterprises and the Internet. Our platform provides a simple and cost-effective way for operators to immediately accelerate digital transformation. The company, which already has proof points with tier one customers, is the perfect hybrid—formed by a major telco group and a visionary open-source technology company—with the backbone technology and an intimate understanding of the need combined under one roof.”

The modular WSO2.Telco API platform, built on WSO2’s award-winning middleware, enables an extensive variety of telco user cases. Customers, partners, internal and external systems, and services can be quickly integrated in a connected, adaptive and collaborative business ecosystem. MNOs can easily start with a cloud or on-premises solution and then grow the system to encompass state-of-the-art API management and orchestration for user cases ranging from billing to advertising, e-money, e-health, e-government, machine-to-machine (M2M) and more.

Mohd Khairil Abdullah, CEO Axiata Digital Services (ADS), says: “ADS’ mission is to both contribute to the bottom line of our operating companies as well as create longer term value through partnership and acquisitions in the digital ecosystem. To succeed, we need to match or better both the business and technical agility of our potential partners and our competition. The WSO2.Telco API platform we created is a key business enabler already working for Axiata. Opening up the technology to the wider community removes a significant barrier to doing business and will ultimately create more opportunities for all.” 

Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, WSO2 founder, CEO and chief architect, said: “We are seeing rapidly growing demand from CTOs and CIOs across telecommunications and other industries to compete in the API economy using solutions powered by our award-winning, open source technology. Our WSO2.Telco joint venture with ADS significantly advances our strategy to deliver vertical solutions tailored for the requirements of industry sectors. Through WSO2.Telco, we have created a dedicated organisation to lead the continued development of a field-proven, digital services enablement platform for telcos.”