What an inspiring experience the Infobip SHIFT 2024 event was! It’s always exciting to be surrounded by such a vibrant and engaged developer community, but this year felt special—there was a real buzz in the air about the potential of Network APIs. As we see more and more developers exploring what’s possible in telecom, it’s becoming clear that we are on the cusp of something truly transformative.

In my keynote, I had the privilege of sharing how Network APIs are opening up new possibilities for developers. By treating the Network as Code, we are handing over powerful tools to developers, enabling them to create innovative use cases that can reshape industries and improve customer experiences. What excites me most about this shift is how much more accessible it makes telecom infrastructure to a much wider audience.

I was fortunate to be joined on stage by Boris Drilo, from Hrvatski Telekom (HT) and Matija Razem from Infobip—both of whom brought unique and valuable perspectives on the future of telecom, the API economy and the impact of the developer community on telco’s future. Boris shared his thoughts on how Network APIs are critical to fostering growth, not just for individual developers but for entire ecosystems. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between operators, developers, and businesses to ensure that telecom becomes a fertile ground for innovation.

Matija, on the other hand, spoke passionately about the developer community and how they are key drivers of this transformation. He highlighted how developers are no longer just consumers of network services—they are creators.

I concluded my session by sharing a remarkable collaboration where Nokia, Infobip and HT joined forces with Elmo, a developer company, to demonstrate the power of network APIs by remotely driving a car in Espoo, Finland, all the way from Zadar, Croatia!

The importance of a mesh ecosystem

One of the recurring themes throughout the event was the importance of creating a mesh ecosystem to support the development and adoption of Network APIs. A mesh ecosystem ensures that everyone—developers, operators and service providers—can participate in a collaborative and interconnected environment. This is especially important for telecom, where the barriers to entry have traditionally been high.

Fostering a mesh ecosystem can break down these barriers and build new use cases. By opening up the network to external stakeholders, such as developers, the potential for innovation skyrockets. We’re already seeing this in the form of new, creative applications being built on Quality of Service on demand, security and authentication APIs, and more.

Feedback from developers: Empowering the community

Throughout the event, I had the chance to speak directly with many developers, and their feedback was invaluable. One of the things that stood out to me the most was the positive response to our Network as Code developer portal. Many developers remarked on how easy, simple and intuitive the portal is, making it a breeze to get started with Network APIs.

Some developers were pleasantly surprised at how quickly they could integrate APIs and start experimenting with real-world applications. The portal’s simplicity saves time and lowers the learning curve, which means more developers can get involved and contribute to the telecom ecosystem.

This was particularly evident during the mini-hackathon (or idea-thon) we held at SHIFT. Developers were given the chance to explore the capabilities of Network APIs and come up with innovative ideas on how to leverage them. I was blown away by the creativity and energy in the room. Teams were prototyping solutions that ranged from IoT device management to automated network optimization, all using the tools available through the Network as Code portal.

One developer told me, “I’ve worked with APIs before, but this is something different. The fact that I can interact with network services directly, without needing deep telecom expertise, is a game-changer.” This reinforced that we’re on the right track—empowering developers with intuitive tools that allow them to focus on innovation rather than complexity.

The road ahead: Building on a strong foundation

As I reflect on my experience at Infobip’s SHIFT, I’m more confident than ever that Network APIs are the key to unlocking the future of telecom. The enthusiasm from the developer community is undeniable, and the momentum is building.

Developers hold the future of connectivity in their hands, and I can’t wait to see what they build next.