Network API Platforms: Building the Road Ahead — CASA25 Panel Recap
Moderated by Žiga Lešnik, Simon-Kucher, with Markus Kümmerle (Project CAMARA), Mark Harvey (XConnect), Álvaro Navarro (Vonage), and Andrés Burgoa (Aduna)
At CASA25, Žiga Lešnik of Simon-Kucher hosted one of the most dynamic and candid panels of the week — bringing together leaders from across the emerging network API value chain. What unfolded was a mix of celebration, hard truth, and cautious optimism about the road ahead for network APIs.
The New API Economy Takes Shape
The session opened with Markus Kümmerle of Deutsche Telekom — one of the original driving forces behind Project CAMARA — recounting how far the ecosystem has come.
Five years ago, he started Deutsche Telekom’s API program “as a one-man show,” building the GitHub, website, and onboarding the first 1,300 members himself. “We learned early that we only win together,” he said, describing how CAMARA’s success was born out of collaboration.
His point landed with the audience: telcos have tried to do APIs alone — and failed five times before. This time, as several panelists agreed, feels different.
Collaboration, Not Competition
Mark Harvey, Chief Identity Officer at XConnect (following Sekura.id’s acquisition), described the evolution from “API spaghetti” to the current wave of standardization.
“It’s very rare to see competitors like us sitting side by side,” he said. “We’ve finally realized that no one can crack this on their own.”
Both Álvaro Navarro from Vonage and Andrés Burgoa from Aduna echoed this sentiment. Vonage represents the CPaaS and developer experience side, Aduna the aggregator layer connecting multiple operators. “Our job,” said Burgoa, “is to make the life of these gentlemen easier — aggregating APIs globally so they can focus on developer relations and enterprise solutions.”
He summarized Aduna’s role neatly: “We’re the piece of the puzzle that nobody knew was missing.”
From Promise to Reality
A year ago, network APIs were still a promise. Now, they’re live.
For Vonage, that means focusing on developer experience and coverage — ensuring APIs work seamlessly in multiple countries and can be tested easily. “Even if it’s fake data, give developers a playground,” said Navarro. “That’s how adoption grows.”
Aduna, meanwhile, is solving the scalability challenge. Instead of every CPaaS negotiating with dozens of operators, Aduna handles the coverage and compliance complexity once. “We want Alvaro and his peers to focus on building solutions — not chasing legal contracts,” Burgoa explained.
Kümmerle confirmed that wholesale aggregation now represents 80% of Deutsche Telekom’s API business, with examples like RTL and Associated Press using live video APIs for major events. “It’s no longer theory — it’s production,” he said.
Focus: The Word of the Day
If there was one word that united the panel, it was focus.
“There are 181 CAMARA APIs,” warned Harvey. “We can’t focus on 181 things. Let’s stop adding new ones and start generating revenue.”
He argued for shifting attention away from “developers” and toward product owners inside enterprises: “They’re the ones with the problems — developers just implement. Let’s listen to the product teams, not just publish APIs and hope someone uses them.”
Kümmerle agreed: “We expose everything we have, but that’s wrong. The customer has one question: is it fraud — yes or no? That’s what we should build for.”
Three to Five Years Ahead
The panel looked forward to 2030 projections — figures as high as $300 billion in annual API revenues. While most saw this as achievable, the message was clear: it won’t happen by itself.
Burgoa highlighted regional momentum, noting that Aduna recently hosted its first summit at AT&T’s Dallas HQ with Verizon, T-Mobile, and international carriers. “If you had told me three years ago that all three U.S. operators would sit together to talk about network APIs, I wouldn’t have believed you,” he said.
But he was also realistic: “We’re spending more time in small rooms than on stages, negotiating commercial, legal, and operational alignment. It’s slow, but it’s real.”
Challenges Still Ahead
As Žiga pushed the panel to name what’s not working, the mood turned refreshingly honest.
Burgoa admitted the story still needs to “propagate” deeper inside operators. “It’s still a niche layer at the top. We need the operational people to start executing, not just hearing the story.”
Kümmerle pointed to over-regulation in Europe as a drag on innovation: “Privacy and sovereignty are essential, but the balance is off. We need to talk with regulators about how to enable innovation without compromising trust.”
Harvey reminded the audience that progress is often invisible: “Just because it’s not in the news doesn’t mean it’s not happening. TikTok and Google deals are massive milestones. We should celebrate small wins.”
Takeaways: Building the Road Ahead
Focus on fewer, higher-value APIs. Fraud, identity, and authentication are clear starting points. Talk to product owners, not just developers. Solve real enterprise pain points. Simplify language and onboarding. Developer experience is still a major adoption barrier. Collaborate, don’t compete. Aggregation, trust, and shared standards are key. Engage regulators early. Privacy and innovation must evolve together.
In the end, the tone was pragmatic but hopeful.
“We’ve fallen off the bike five times,” Harvey said, smiling. “But this time, we’re pedaling forward — together.”
Want to help shape the future of network APIs?
Join the CPaaS Acceleration Alliance and contribute to our ongoing work on The State of CPaaS 2026 and Network API Roadmap — where we turn conversations like this one into collaborative action.
