Vonage makes another API ally with AWS deal

The deal is pitched as a move that will bring together Vonage's network and comms API platform, it’s owner Ericsson's 5G network capabilities, and AWS services in order to ‘create a suite of solutions that empower customers to use the network to drive innovation and create a better overall customer experience.’

Broadly that’s the pitch of APIs anyway, but what this deal appears to relate to more specifically is allowing various bits of Vonage and AWS software to play off each other, and comes barely a week after Vonage announced an API pact with Verizon.

A new Vonage Fraud Protection solution will be made available in AWS Marketplace which will include the Vonage CAMARA-based API SIM Swap (in alpha when available), its Fraud Defender solution, which will apparently be enhanced by AWS generative artificial intelligence (AI) services, and its Verify and Number Insights APIs paired with Amazon Rekognition.

Vonage intends to build additional solutions along similar lines ‘that will accelerate bringing the power of network APIs to the market.’

"AWS and Vonage have a shared passion for helping customers deliver innovation and value," said Kathrin Renz, Vice President of AWS Industries. "Working together with Vonage, we aim to drive new industrial and enterprise applications across industries that combine 5G networks and technologies like generative artificial intelligence to fuel new products and enhance the overall customer experience."

Niklas Heuveldop, Vonage CEO and Head of Business Area Global Communications Platform for Ericsson, added: "By working with AWS, we will accelerate our ability to embed communications and network APIs in applications and deliver new product offerings for AWS and Vonage customers. With network APIs, we are exposing new capabilities from within the 5G network that have never been available before, allowing existing applications to be enhanced with network information and enabling the development of a new class of applications."

It was announced last month that Heuveldop would be taking over the running of Vonage and then CEO Rory Read would be leaving Ericsson’s employ. By doing this presumably the powers that be want some sort of change of direction or strategy for the operation, which it bought for the hefty sum of $6.2 billion in 2022, and last year gave a $3 billion write down. Perhaps more tie ups like these are the first part of that plan.