AT&T Opens API Marketplace to Complement SDN Portfolio

AT&T today launched a new API marketplace designed to provide businesses with software code to add new services on their sites and applications. It built the marketplace on Ribbon Communications’ Kandy, a cloud-based communications software development platform.“We see the AT&T API Marketplace as a complement to AT&T’s current SDN portfolio,” Greg Johnson, director of voice and collaboration at AT&T Business, wrote in response to questions. “This service rides over the top of [SD-WAN and security] technologies functioning at the application layer.” He cited two-factor authentication as an example of AT&T’s efforts to help businesses decrease fraud on their websites and applications.
The network operator is positioning the marketplace for two distinct use cases: turnkey applications and self-service APIs that give developers the flexibility to create custom applications. The self-service APIs enable businesses to add or upgrade services such as click-to-connect communications, two-factor authentication, conferencing, virtual directories and contact centers into their existing environment.
Other use cases include automated scheduling, reminders, and broadcast messaging. AT&T plans to regularly add new APIs to the marketplace to increase the number of services available to its business customers, and the operator says it will offer support for more customized integration. “The marketplace will be able to support APIs from multiple software providers and vendors,” Johnson wrote.