PLDT Enterprise is expanding its portfolio of smart, network-powered security tools with a new globally certified API designed to help businesses determine whether a customer’s mobile device is roaming — a signal that can strengthen fraud detection without requiring additional user input.
Smart Communications, the wireless arm of PLDT, said it has secured GSMA Open Gateway certification for its SmartSafe RoamStatus API, making it the latest addition to the company’s SmartSafe security suite.
The certification comes as financial institutions, e-commerce platforms, and digital service providers continue to face increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts that go beyond stolen passwords and one-time passcodes.
Unlike traditional authentication methods, SmartSafe RoamStatus allows businesses to verify whether a mobile device is currently roaming outside the Philippines through real-time mobile network signals.
Rather than revealing a subscriber’s location, the API simply returns whether the device is roaming or not, providing organizations with additional context when assessing potentially suspicious transactions.
For example, if a customer initiates a high-value banking transaction while their mobile device is detected as roaming overseas, the institution can trigger additional verification before approving the request.
According to PLDT Enterprise, the solution is designed to enhance fraud prevention while preserving user privacy, as it does not expose location data and operates with subscriber awareness and consent.
Smart builds on earlier GSMA Open Gateway milestone
IMAGE CREDIT: PLDT
The certification also marks another milestone in the Philippines’ adoption of standardized network APIs under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.
It builds on Smart’s earlier recognition as the first Philippine telecommunications provider to receive GSMA Open Gateway certification for its Number Verification API, which enabled the launch of SmartSafe SilentAccess in late 2025.
The solution introduced silent authentication by verifying users through mobile network data without requiring passwords or one-time PINs.
“Since we first launched these globally certified SmartSafe APIs and toolkits, we’ve benefited from inputs from enterprise customers to prioritize the highest-impact features they require,” said Nico V. Alcoseba, First Vice President and Head of Product Management and Innovations at PLDT Enterprise.
“Expanding our suite of globally certified APIs with SmartSafe RoamStatus reinforces our commitment when we first launched SilentAccess — to develop solutions with advanced security capabilities that strengthen digital trust without compromising user experience,” he added.
GSMA certification strengthens Philippines’ role in network innovation
IMAGE CREDIT: Freepik
The GSMA Open Gateway initiative, developed in collaboration with the CAMARA open-source project under the Linux Foundation, aims to standardize network APIs across mobile operators worldwide, allowing developers and enterprises to build applications that work consistently across different networks.
Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific at GSMA, said Smart’s latest certification demonstrates the Philippines’ growing role in advancing Open Gateway adoption in the region.
“Smart’s certification is a strong signal of the Philippines’ leadership in advancing Open Gateway API adoption and unlocking the power of mobile networks to enable greater innovation across the Asia-Pacific region,” Gorman said.
He added that standardized, certified APIs are critical to building trust and help enable cross-operator interoperability and digital services to scale more easily across multiple markets.
According to GSMA, more than 300 mobile networks representing over 80% of global mobile connections are now aligned with the Open Gateway initiative, creating a broader ecosystem of interoperable network capabilities.
PLDT Enterprise said SmartSafe RoamStatus is only one of several network intelligence services it plans to offer. Future APIs in the SmartSafe portfolio include NetIdentity, which verifies SIM and device authenticity; GeoCheck, which provides real-time network location intelligence; and KYCPlus, which enhances identity verification using network data.
The company said these capabilities are designed to help organizations strengthen digital trust while leveraging Smart’s nationwide mobile network as part of PLDT Enterprise’s broader portfolio of connectivity, cloud, data center, and digital platform services.
