Introduction
I recognize the skepticism surrounding CAMARA shared by many in this thread. Although I agree that the projected numbers may not fully materialize, I still believe it should be encouraged by innovators, and in its capacity to deliver strategic benefits to the telecom industry and the developer communities globally.
In this blog post, I want to focus the discussion towards why i think, as innovators and developers, should ardently support the development and success of CAMARA, irrespective of the forecasted numbers floating around.
For me, the numbers game is secondary. What truly matters, and where my focus lies, is the monumental potential that a standardized API across all telcos globally can unlock for innovators. It’s not about the immediate financial metrics or the lofty projections for telcos; it’s about simplifying and standardizing the way we interact with telecom infrastructure. This standardization is the key that will unlock doors to vast, unexplored territories of innovation, allowing us to dedicate our energies and creativity to transformative solutions that can redefine the landscape of telecom and beyond.
The Misconception of Value Measurement
The industry’s focus on financial projections often masks the essence and transformative potential of innovation projects like Camara for real innovation. True innovation’s value, especially in a sector still entangled in manual processes in 2024, lies in its capacity to redefine and streamline operations, leading us towards a digitized, automated future.
Strategic Benefits for the Telecom Industry
The telecom sector stands on the verge of a significant transformation that initiatives like Camara can greatly accelerate. Through API enablement, we envision a future where telecom services are unified and exposed in ways that foster innovation and create a collaborative ecosystem. Here are some aspects worth considering:
Leveraging AI requires API Enablement
The integration of AI with telecommunications is not merely an opportunity but a necessity for the sector’s evolution. APIs serve as the critical bridge for this integration, allowing telecoms to fully leverage the power of AI. With the telecom industry on the cusp of a data and machine learning revolution, programmable interactions with telecom infrastructure become essential.
Did you know that ChatGPT has already 180 Millions users? (src: https://www.demandsage.com/chatgpt-statistics/ ,
TelecomsXChange (TCXC) GPT demonstrates the power of this, enabling users to employ Natural Language Understanding (NLU) for navigating through prices, quality, reviews, and insights from hundreds of carriers. Imagine crafting engaging SMS campaigns or making calls, all facilitated by natural language.
This capability represents a significant shift in how we interact with telecom services, making the power of AI accessible for complex telecom workflows. By offering a fully programmable interface, TCXC simplifies these interactions and democratizes access to telecom channels for a vast user base. Creating and integrating a custom GPT on OpenAI isn’t possible with an API.
Eliminating Caller ID Spoofing: A Direct Approach Through Standardization
it’s crucial to highlight a significant, immediate benefit for the average user of embracing a standardized API framework across telecoms: the elimination of Caller ID spoofing. This pervasive issue has long plagued both consumers and businesses, undermining trust in telecommunication services and necessitating complex solutions like STIR/SHAKEN. However, with a unified API standard, the need for such intermediary measures could be drastically reduced, if not eliminated altogether.
By enabling direct queries to the originator network, we can verify in real-time whether a call genuinely originates from a specific subscriber. This direct line of verification not only simplifies the process but enhances the security and reliability of caller identification. It represents a leap forward in telecom security, moving us towards a more transparent, trustworthy communication ecosystem. This approach underscores the broader implications of API standardization, where solving one problem opens the door to addressing several others, further amplifying the value of CAMARA’s mission.
Automating Carrier to Carrier Operations: A Single Source of Truth
Standardizing how telecoms talk to each other with APIs could make everything in telecoms faster and clearer, kind of like how instant updates work in the stock market. We talked about this idea in a white paper a while back (you can read it here: https://www.telecomsxchange.com/static/media/white-papper.1d4b60f6d4ee2749a94d.pdf ). Right now, TelecomsXChange (TCXC) is doing something similar, but for this to work everywhere, all the telecom companies need to use the same system.
The good news is that CAMARA, an open-source project by the Linux Foundation that a bunch of big telecom companies are joining, is helping us get there faster. It’s all about making the telecom world digital, automatic, and better for everyone. This is a big step in the right direction so we can focus on much bigger innovations and applications.
These are merely a handful of scenarios where I envision Camara empowering developers to fast-track their innovative solutions.
My Real Concerns about CAMARA
I have several concerns regarding the project, stemming from my direct experience attempting to contribute to it. These concerns are not connected to the projected revenue figures that the project promises Telcos. I hope these issues can be swiftly addressed for the benefit of all involved.
- Community-Driven Decision Making
Addressing the vetting and approval process of API proposals, it’s crucial to advocate for a genuinely community-driven framework. Ensuring that developers, alongside telecom reps, have a significant say in this process is essential for creating a balanced and inclusive ecosystem.
- Beyond Marketing Bluffs
The telecom industry must move beyond using initiatives like Camara as mere marketing tools. The developer community’s intolerance for insincerity underscores the need for authentic, functional innovations rather than unfulfilled promises.
In my experience trying to use Camara APIs with telecom companies that say they’ve implemented them, I’ve realized these claims are often just marketing talk, which is disappointing. It’s crucial that this changes. Developers really need access to reliable API documentation, API keys, and endpoints to work effectively.
- Concerns Over Digitizing Inefficient Processes
A pressing concern is the tendency of Telcos to digitize and API-enable inefficient or outdated processes, such as the manual agreement process. Developers are in need of a streamlined process to sign up, access API documentation, keys, and endpoints without being bogged down by manual agreements. Operators must digitize and automate not just the agreement signing process but also the payment process among others to truly modernize and facilitate developer engagement with their platforms.
Conclusion
Doubts surrounding initiatives like the Camara Project usually arise from an insufficient grasp of their transformative capabilities or the focus on telecom ROI alone.
As innovators, let us capitalize on the involvement of the Linux Foundation, the budgets of big telecom companies , and the pressure from higher management to finally secure fully programmable access to global telecom infrastructure. This will empower us innovators to build and realize much larger ideas without the need to deal with telcos bureaucracy anymore.