Telefónica and Telenor Sign API Partnership

Telefónica and Telenor have partnered to make Telenor's APIs (Application Programme Interfaces) available through Telefónica’s BlueVia API platform. 

Currently, BlueVia is focused on mobile payments, particularly the integration of direct-to-billing charges into apps. Telefónica has signed global framework agreements for billing payments with Facebook, Google, Microsoft and RIM this year.

The two companies are intending to work to roll out the payments platform across their mobile customer base, as well as extending an invitation to other global telcos to join.

The partnership is intended to widen BlueVia's reach, however, so the companies say APIs aimed at different areas of the market will follow.

"From the beginning, BlueVia’s aim has been to gather scale and experiment fast on API business, not sticking to Telefonica's footprint but opening our vision to a pure global ecosystem," said Jose Valles, head of BlueVia at Telefónica. "Telenor is leading the industry embracing this vision. We are glad to work with them, initially in mobile payments, but also exploring other innovative APIs."