Telefónica and NTT DATA, in collaboration with TIM Brazil and technology partners such as Red Hat, Hansen Technologies, MATRIXX Software, and Nabstract, have been honored with the Moonshot Catalyst Award 2025 in the Interactive Showcase category during the DTW Ignite 2025 event, organized by TM Forum in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The award recognized the project “Spatial Web: Open Gateway to the Immersive Future”, an initiative that strengthens the role of operators in the new era of the internet, enabling them to deliver immersive digital experiences and monetize their network capabilities through standardized APIs.
Telefónica and NTT DATA led the project as part of the GSMA’s Open Gateway program, designed to unlock critical network capabilities—such as identity fraud prevention, geolocation, and quality of service—through open interfaces.
The project stands out for integrating TM Forum’s Operate APIs, which automate the full lifecycle of network APIs (from onboarding to billing). This eliminates bottlenecks and enables a truly programmable infrastructure.
This innovation positions operators as key players in the Spatial Web ecosystem, a new stage of the internet where the physical and digital worlds converge to deliver immersive, contextual, and personalized experiences. Devices and applications can interact with their surroundings in real time, recognizing user identity, location, and intent, while combining technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, IoT, 5G, and blockchain.
The project is built on four strategic pillars: programmable network-as-a-service, enablement of Spatial Web capabilities, automation of the complete Open Gateway operating cycle through APIs, and ecosystem-driven monetization.
Key innovations delivered through the project include:
- The first implementation of an API (TMF936) between Operators and Channel Partners for automated product catalog exchange.
- A proposal for a standardized interface to exchange data usage information, enabling billing and settlement processes (API TMF937).
- Integration of the DSSP protocol, enabling contextual real-time digital interactions.
- Flexible pricing models for Open Gateway APIs: dynamic tariffs based on usage type and revenue-sharing among all stakeholders (operators, aggregators, app developers, etc.).
- Real-time monetization through usage-based billing schemes.
“This project represents a significant step forward for Open Gateway. On one hand, it automates the lifecycle of commercial and monetization processes through standard interfaces. On the other, it positions operators as essential enablers, providing capabilities for developers and applications in the new internet era,” said Jesús Iglesias, Digital Integration Architecture Manager at Telefónica’s GCTIO.
The solution demonstrates how telecom operators can evolve from traditional connectivity service providers to platform business operators. This model allows them to open and monetize their networks while enabling immersive digital experiences with value for any vertical industry.
“This recognition reflects the outstanding teamwork with our partner ecosystem and our ability to lead innovation in the Telco sector. Open Gateway is a clear example of our commitment to accelerate adoption and demand creation, enabling Telcos to monetize network modernization investments made in recent years,” explained Luis Fernando Rubio, Telecommunications Director at NTT DATA. “Operators now have the opportunity to harness the power of the Spatial Web, enable real-time monetization, generate frictionless ecosystems and partnerships, and grow at scale,” he added.
With this achievement, NTT DATA strengthens its role as a strategic player in the digital transformation of the Telco sector, leading the way toward a more immersive, intelligent, and sustainable internet. At the same time, Telefónica consolidates its position as an innovation leader within the Open Gateway program, establishing itself as a key enabler of the Spatial Web and a protagonist in the new era of the internet where the physical and digital worlds converge.