In a significant move to strengthen Qatar’s digital security, Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar have announced the commercial launch of two crucial network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) designed to combat digital fraud. These APIs are standardized under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative and follow the CAMARA framework, promoting interoperability and ease of adoption.
The joint release took place during the GSMA’s MWC Doha event, signaling a collaborative effort by Qatar’s primary mobile operators to leverage network intelligence for consumer protection.
Key Anti-Fraud Tools
The two APIs now available to developers and enterprises in Qatar are:
Number Verification API: This tool allows online services and applications to instantly verify if the mobile number being used by a device matches the number provided by the customer. This simple check is a powerful defense against account takeover and fraudulent sign-ups.
SIM Swap API: This API is designed to monitor and detect unauthorized changes to the SIM card associated with a mobile number. Developers can query the system to determine if a SIM swap has occurred recently—such as within the last 24 hours—by receiving either a timestamp of the last change or a simple yes/no response. This helps prevent fraudsters from gaining control of a victim’s phone number, a common technique for intercepting one-time passwords (OTPs) used in financial transactions.
Industry Impact and Future Plans
The new APIs are expected to provide industries like banking and e-commerce with secure and reliable identity-verification tools, enabling them to build safer and more frictionless digital experiences for their customers. As Ooredoo Qatar’s Chief Business Officer, Thani Al Malki, noted, these tools allow enterprises to access essential telecom capabilities to protect customers and foster new opportunities.
This initiative comes as Qatar faces a growing challenge from online fraud, mirroring trends in other accelerating digital economies. The Qatar Central Bank has been actively running a national campaign against financial phishing, and the Qatar Financial Information Unit maintains a dedicated wing for combating digital fraud.
Henry Calvert, GSMA’s Head of Networks, highlighted the global importance of standardizing these APIs, ensuring that banks and online retailers can interact with mobile operators in a consistent way, regardless of their location.
Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar have already signaled their intent to expand their API portfolio in 2026, with a continued focus on identity and fraud prevention services. Furthermore, Ooredoo has recently partnered with Aduna, an Ericsson-led API joint venture, to make its open network APIs available to businesses across the MENA region and globally via the Aduna platform.
