By Christopher Aubut, Charter Communications; Serafim Sukhenkiy, Charter Communications; Vinay Radharam, Charter Communications; Aaron Frank, Charter Communications; Justin Pace, Charter Communications; Andy Dolan, CableLabs
The telecommunications industry is at a juncture, united by an emerging push to adopt standardized Application Programming Interface (APIs) that empower the broader developer community to build new services that reach a global audience using the industry's resources. This shift necessitates a new framework to address the diversity of operator platforms. In line with API standardization efforts such as Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) [1] and CAMARA [2], this paper proposes a framework for a federated approach to developer registration, user authorization, and API access. Together, these components might enable operators to monetize API interactions while maintaining operator ownership and control of their exposed network resources.
The framework draws upon the principles of decentralized and federated technologies, focusing on existing communication protocols, federated social media platforms (Fediverse) [3], blockchain governance and service assurance models, and public-key cryptography identity management. It prioritizes solutions that ensure operator autonomy in API exposure to the developer community, optimizing the equitable distribution of industry-derived value by sidestepping the need for centralized control. Considerations for privacy and potential monetization are integrated within the wider context of trust among operators, developers, and users.
Advocating for a transformation of the delivery of developer services, this paper suggests moving toward a decentralized and federated system. This shift is presented as a challenge, calling for a collaborative, industry-wide movement toward open, accessible developer services. Outlining a strategy for implementing this framework as a set of developer services, this paper serves as a vision statement. It invites stakeholders to join in forging a future that fully leverages telecommunications technology, fostering innovation and connectivity on a global scale.