GSMA Open Gateway unlocks mobile network capabilities for developers

A new collaboration between the world's leading mobile operators will accelerate innovation across industries from finance and retail to transportation, healthcare, and beyond. The GSMA Open Gateway initiative provides developers simplified access to core network capabilities via open application programming interfaces (APIs).

Initially focused on security, new APIs for number verification and SIM swap detection are being implemented by operator groups across 42 countries so far....

Widespread cellular outage hits the US

A cellular outage has swept across large portions of the US, causing disruptions in services provided by major telecom companies including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

Data collected from outage tracking website Downdetector revealed that more than 32,000 incidents were reported with AT&T's service around 4:30am Eastern Time. The outage affected cities including San Francisco, Houston, and Chicago, according to information displayed on the website.

Users of...

AT&T will display brand logos on calls from verified numbers

AT&T has partnered with TransUnion to display brand names and logos for outgoing business calls, providing an extra layer of authentication and trust for customers.

The companies are offering two industry-first features: allowing brand logos to appear without a special app installed on the receiver's phone, and verifying the calls through STIR/SHAKEN standards to confirm the number has not been illegally spoofed.

This new ‘TruContact Branded Call Display’ service...

Databricks unveils AI-powered intelligence platform for telcos

Data and AI company Databricks has launched a new unified data and AI platform tailored specifically for telcos.

The Data Intelligence Platform for Communications offers communication service providers (CSPs) a comprehensive foundation for their data and AI requirements. It enables them to obtain a holistic view of their networks, operations, and customer interactions without compromising data privacy or confidential intellectual property.

Built on an open lakehouse...

AT&T plans most wireless traffic to flow across Open RAN by 2026

AT&T has unveiled plans to transition 70 percent of its wireless network traffic to open-capable platforms by late 2026.

The telecoms giant aims to fully integrate Open RAN sites in collaboration with industry leaders Ericsson and Fujitsu, starting as early as 2024. This departure from closed proprietary interfaces signifies a pivotal shift towards rapid scaling and effective management of diverse hardware suppliers at each cell site.

AT&T's timeline includes...

AST SpaceMobile achieves space-to-smartphone 5G connection

AST SpaceMobile has successfully established the first-ever 5G connection for both voice and data between a standard smartphone and a satellite in space.

The achievement was demonstrated by AST SpaceMobile's engineers who orchestrated a call from the serene shores of Maui, Hawaii to a Vodafone engineer located in bustling Madrid, Spain.

What makes this achievement truly remarkable is that it was accomplished using an unmodified Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone, with the...

Amazon could bundle wireless plans with Prime

Amazon is reportedly gearing up to offer wireless plans alongside its Prime subscriptions in the United States.

According to a Bloomberg report, the e-commerce giant has engaged in negotiations with major US operators including Verizon, T-Mobile, Dish, and AT&T to explore the possibility of leveraging their networks to provide wireless services.

The report further stated that Amazon could offer this service to Prime subscribers either as part of their existing...

AT&T conducts ‘space-based’ call using a regular smartphone

AT&T has achieved a significant milestone by successfully conducting the first-ever two-way audio call using satellites with a standard smartphone.

The call was made from AT&T in Midland, Texas, to mobile carrier Rakuten in Japan on a Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone using AST SpaceMobile's BlueWalker 3 satellite. 

Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile, commented:

“Achieving what many once considered impossible, we have reached the most...

AT&T is all-in on Nvidia’s AI solutions

AT&T is tapping Nvidia’s expertise in artificial intelligence across its operations.

As the gatekeepers of our communications, telcos have access to vast amounts of information. The 590PB of data that AT&T process on a typical day is equivalent to around 6.5 million 4K movies.

However, turning all of this data into actionable insights can pose a serious challenge.

AT&T will use Nvidia’s AI Enterprise software suite to enhance its data...

Hackers steal the data of millions of AT&T customers

A vendor hack has resulted in the data of millions of AT&T customers being stolen.

AT&T is sending emails to around nine million customers to alert them of the theft of their data.

The attackers did not breach AT&T directly but compromised the systems of a marketing vendor used by the US telecom giant.

All impacted users had CPNI (Customer Proprietary Network Information) stolen, including phone numbers, full names, and email addresses. A smaller...