Nokia expanded its Network as Code ecosystem at MWC26, adding major global telecom operators and advancing its strategy to expose programmable network capabilities through APIs. The company also announced a collaboration with Google Cloud to integrate agentic AI into the Network as Code platform, enabling enterprise software agents to directly consume and program network APIs.
The ecosystem now includes Deutsche Telekom, Globe, Orange, Rakuten Mobile, Tata Communications, Telefónica, TELUS, and Vodafone, among more than 75 partners spanning telecom providers, CPaaS platforms, systems integrators, and independent software vendors. Nokia launched Network as Code in September 2023 to give developers standardized and secure access to network capabilities through APIs. The initiative aligns with industry efforts such as GSMA Open Gateway and the Linux Foundation’s CAMARA project to create interoperable telecom API frameworks.
Under the new collaboration, Google Cloud’s agentic AI capabilities will allow enterprise agents to access network APIs using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Using Google Cloud’s Agent Developer Kit and Gemini models, enterprises can build intent-based workflows that interact with network functions without custom integration. Early use cases include enterprise device management, fleet connectivity and coverage optimization, roaming and SIM swap monitoring, and security analytics that leverage network slicing and edge routing.
- Deutsche Telekom is enabling Blocksport to deploy number verification APIs for passwordless mobile authentication in sports applications.
- Globe is expanding its use of Nokia’s Network Exposure Platform to support Silent Network Authentication and mobile banking fraud mitigation in the Philippines.
- Orange is making identity, anti-fraud, and network insights APIs commercially available in France and Spain.
- Rakuten Mobile is exploring number verification APIs to support enterprise fraud prevention and authentication.
- Tata Communications is integrating its global Network Fabric and MOVE eSIM capabilities to enable programmable connectivity for IoT deployments in automotive and logistics.
- Telefónica is testing Agent-to-Agent (A2A) and Model Context Protocol (MCP) technologies to simplify AI-driven network service exposure.
- TELUS plans to deploy number verification, SIM swap, and quality-on-demand APIs ahead of a major international football tournament in North America.
- Vodafone is making identity and anti-fraud APIs available across several European markets including the UK, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Greece.
“These partnerships represent a major step in transforming the future of advanced network connectivity, giving developers greater choice, flexibility, and security to create innovative new applications,” said Shkumbin Hamiti, VP and Head of Network Monetization Platform, Core Software at Nokia.
🌐 Analysis: Nokia is aligning its telecom API strategy with hyperscaler AI tooling, reflecting a broader shift toward programmable networks that can be consumed by software agents. As operators deploy Open Gateway frameworks and explore AI-native automation, collaborations with cloud providers such as Google Cloud position telecom networks as programmable infrastructure within enterprise AI workflows.
