stc Group has become the first operator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to support the Bridge Alliance API Exchange (BAEx), partnering with Bridge Alliance to integrate telecom APIs into its digital products.
This move marks a decade of stc Group’s membership with Bridge Alliance, with both companies pledging to enhance their collaboration in the Internet of Things (IoT) and extend it to telecom Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
The partnership was officially formalised during the LEAP global technology conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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The agreement, which will take effect in April 2025, includes cooperation among STC Group’s operating companies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
stc Group is set to become the first MENA operator onboarded to the Bridge Alliance API Exchange, joining 13 other operators who have already committed to the telco API exchange launched by Bridge Alliance in 2024. The API Exchange will streamline access to telecom APIs, reducing complexity and friction for STC Group and its enterprise customers.
One key aspect of the collaboration will focus on IoT. stc and Bridge Alliance, along with its member operators, will work together to strengthen IoT offerings. This includes projects such as connected car technology in the MENA region, which aims to power smart functions on roads and enable remote operations of vehicles, including security features.
Dr Ong Geok Chwee, CEO of Bridge Alliance, said of the partnership, “Since STC Group joined Bridge Alliance in 2014, our collaboration has flourished, and we have both grown in expertise and market presence. We are thrilled to expand our partnership and tap into the growing IoT and telco API sectors, unlocking new potential for our customers and business partners.”
Powered by Singtel’s Paragon orchestration platform, BAEx offers a single integration and contract, which reduces the complexity of bilateral negotiations between multiple operators.
BAEx also builds on the GSMA's Open Gateway initiative and Project CAMARA, which aim to create a framework for common network APIs that provide universal access to operator networks for developers. BAEx’s Number Verification API recently earned GSMA’s Open Gateway Certification in January 2025, further validating the platform’s capabilities.
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