stc Group Strengthens Bridge Alliance Partnership, Becoming First MENA Operator to Commit to Bridge Alliance API Exchange (BAEx)

• stc Group is first MENA operator to commit its support for the Bridge Alliance API Exchange, as it joins forces with Bridge Alliance to integrate telco APIs into digital products.

SINGAPORE and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridge Alliance and stc Group are celebrating 10 years of stc's membership and have pledged to strengthen their ongoing collaboration in Internet-of-Things (IoT), while extending their partnership to telco Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

At the LEAP global technology conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, both companies inked an agreement which will see Bridge Alliance and stc Group's operating companies in Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia push the boundaries of innovation and digital transformation in the MENA region and beyond, leveraging on their joint scale, combined expertise and market presence. The agreement takes effect in April 2025.

stc Group will be the first MENA region operator to be onboarded to the Bridge Alliance API Exchange (BAEx), joining 13 other operators which have already committed to the telco API exchange that Bridge Alliance launched in 2024 to aggregate telco APIs. BAEx will significantly reduce complexity and friction for stc Group and its enterprise customers in accessing APIs for innovation, supporting the development of new business opportunities and revenue streams in various markets.  This will be achieved through BAEx's unified integration, simplified commercial framework and common operational support model.

Meanwhile, for IoT cooperation, Bridge Alliance and its member operators will continue to collaborate with stc Group to strengthen their IoT business offerings and explore mutually beneficial business opportunities, such as connected car projects in the Middle East, which power smart functions on roads, remote operations of vehicles including security functions and pave the way for smart city infrastructure.

Dr Ong Geok Chwee, CEO of Bridge Alliance, said, "Since stc Group joined Bridge Alliance as a member operator in 2014, our collaboration has grown from strength to strength and both companies have expanded tremendously in our scope and expertise and emerged as leaders in our respective regions. We are delighted to deepen our partnership and scale new heights in seizing IoT business growth across our extensive global footprint, and jointly explore the abundant yet untapped potential in the brave new world of telco APIs."

Powered by Singtel's Paragon orchestration platform, BAEx offers customers a single integration and contract, which reduces the complexity of them working with multiple operators bilaterally. It builds on the GSMA's Open Gateway initiative and Project CAMARA, which are working on a framework of common network APIs to provide universal access to operator networks for developers.  Among these, BAEx is now offering Number Verification and SIM Swap. In January 2025, BAEx's Number Verification API received GSMA's Open Gateway Certification.

About Bridge Alliance

Bridge Alliance, the leading mobile alliance for premier operators and their customers in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2024. Our alliance today covers 35 members who serve over 1 billion customers collectively across these regions. Our goal is to build group capabilities and create value for our members by enabling compelling roaming services and experience, offering multi-market enterprise and IoT solutions, and delivering savings and benefits through leveraging group economies.

Bridge Alliance's members and partners include: Airtel (India, Sri Lanka and the Airtel subsidiaries in Africa: Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi,  Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia), AIS, China Telecom, China Unicom, CSL, CTM, Deutsche Telekom, Globe, Maxis, Metfone, MobiFone, Optus, Singtel, SK Telecom, stc (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait), SoftBank Corp., Taiwan Mobile, and Telkomsel.

For more information, visit www.bridgealliance.com.

About stc Group

stc Group is a digital enabler, offering advanced solutions and driving a role in the digitalization process. The group provides a comprehensive suite of services encompassing digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media, and digital entertainment. The group comprises 13 subsidiaries across The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. 

To know more about stc Group: Click here     

SOURCE Bridge Alliance