Partnering Together: GSMA and NetLync Boost Operators Towards Advanced Mobile Services

The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has unveiled a new cloud-based platform called GSMA Entitlements. This innovative service is designed to help mobile network operators (MNOs and MVNOs) activate and manage next-generation features and applications on Apple iOS and Android devices.

GSMA Entitlements is a game-changer, enabling operators of every size to integrate new features in weeks, measure performance in real time, and be ready for the future. The platform supports a wide range of features, including eSIM transfer for Android devices, eSIM Quick Transfer for iOS, Cross-platform RCS messaging, VoLTE and VoWiFi provisioning, Apple Watch and Android Wear (including Samsung), satellite messaging for Android, iMessage and FaceTime authentication, phone number verification for Android, hotspot tethering, and EAP-AKA device authentication for iOS and Android.

One of the key advantages of GSMA Entitlements is that it does not require mobile network operators to build or maintain their own entitlements infrastructure. Instead, it works alongside existing entitlement solutions, offering a low-risk, futureproof upgrade path with no disruption to current operations.

NetLync, a telecom software company, is the partner for GSMA Entitlements. The service achieves its speed and efficiency by combining Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) capabilities and single integration with the GSMA's Network Settings Exchange (NSX) service. NetLync's platform offers a developer-led platform for self-onboarding, testing, diagnosis, and reporting.

GSMA Entitlements can help mobile network operators launch new features in as little as four to six weeks using NetLync's Diameter Security Gateway (DSG). The platform offers advanced AI-assisted APIs and reporting features, further enhancing its capabilities.

Mobile operators are facing increasing pressure to deliver seamless device experiences and reduce operational costs while managing the complexity of multiple use cases and proprietary device manufacturer processes and standards. GSMA Entitlements, along with interoperability testing and NSX services, further enforces this focus.

Most operator customers who have trialled the service have integrated GSMA Entitlements into their OSS/BSS stack in just four weeks, using only two or three developers. Google, Samsung, and other Android device manufacturers, as well as Apple, require entitlement servers for full compatibility with the latest GSMA specifications for eSIM, RCS, companion devices, and 5G services. GSMA Entitlements is fully compliant with device manufacturer entitlement specifications (including GSMA TS.43) and is already trusted by leading operators globally.

NetLync's CEO, Emir Aboulhosn, stated that GSMA Entitlements delivers the industry's first true Entitlements-as-a-Service platform, built for speed, transparency, and agility. The service is set to revolutionise the mobile industry, making it easier for operators to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancement.

While specific information about which companies are customers of GSMA Entitlements or have integrated the service into their OSS/BSS stacks is not readily available, the potential benefits are clear. With GSMA Entitlements, mobile network operators can streamline their operations, reduce costs, and deliver a better user experience, all while staying ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving mobile industry.