SYDNEY, March 6, 2026, 17:50 AEDT
- Telstra has jumped ahead as the first Australian carrier to roll out GSMA Open Gateway anti-fraud APIs, beginning with Number Verification.
- Optus and Telstra are collaborating on shared network APIs, but TPG isn’t joining in at this stage.
- Telstra’s latest steps follow a first-half profit jump, an upsized buyback, and plans to pay its interim dividend on March 27.
Telstra Group Limited is the first telco in Australia to launch anti-fraud network APIs via the GSMA’s Open Gateway framework, rolling out a Number Verification service that confirms a user’s phone number against carrier records—no SMS one-time code required. The development was reported Thursday by iTnews, which referenced comments from both Telstra and its competitors.
Timing is key here. Carriers want to clamp down on hijacked logins and payments, and Open Gateway hands them a unified tool to pitch these security checks to banks, fintechs, and other big users. “From ambition to execution,” is how Henry Calvert, GSMA’s head of networks, described the project in a March 4 post—he says 86 operator groups, spanning 300-plus networks and 80% of the world’s mobile connections, have already signed on. MWC Barcelona
APIs—short for application programming interfaces—handle the connections here. On Telstra’s product pages, Number Verification checks behind the scenes to see if a phone number matches the user, and the SIM Swap API signals when there’s been a recent SIM change, often linked to account-takeover fraud.
Optus has teamed up with Telstra and several other industry players on shared network APIs, according to iTnews. TPG Telecom, on the other hand, isn’t on board yet. “Locally-focused scam prevention measures” remain TPG’s priority for now, said Amelia Limbrick, who heads customer security, fraud and scam governance at the company. iTnews
No surprise here. Back in November, Telstra handed Aduna Global access to its Number Verification and SIM Swap APIs. Kim Krogh Andersen, who heads up products and technology, cast the APIs as a way to speed up authentication and tighten security—businesses could see lower fraud risk, he said.
Telstra is doubling down on its mainstay mobile division and ramping up capital returns just as it rolls out the network push. Last month, Chief Executive Vicki Brady described the half as a “strong period” after Telstra posted a 9.4% jump in first-half profit, coming in at A$1.12 billion. The company also increased its on-market buyback by A$250 million, now up to A$1.25 billion, and tightened its full-year earnings guidance, Reuters reported. Telstra.com
Telstra has declared a partially franked interim dividend of 10.5 Australian cents per share, according to a filing, with shareholders set to receive payment on March 27. That date stands out for investors, as the company continues its push to convert network features into revenue-generating products.
Australia’s mobile sector is still dominated by Telstra, Optus and TPG—three companies holding their ground. Telstra jumped in early, snagging an edge as competition stretches far past its home turf. According to GSMA, there are now over 300 commercial launches covering 20 API categories in 65 markets worldwide.
The rollout remains limited for now. Optus has promised additional launches in the coming weeks, but hasn’t given specifics. TPG, on the other hand, is holding back, preferring to wait and observe. Some of the higher-end APIs—those that go beyond fraud checks—still need 5G standalone and edge computing, which could end up delaying a wider rollout.
At this stage, fraud stands out as the most obvious use case. Telstra is pushing the services to clients across banking, fintech, government, health, and e-commerce, aiming to carve out a new revenue stream outside its core connectivity offerings.
