Malaysia’s major mobile operators have launched a collaborative federated network service featuring a Number Verification API to enhance digital security and combat online fraud. The initiative, launched jointly by CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, Telekom Malaysia (TM), and YTL Communications, provides businesses with a network-based method to verify mobile users’ identities by matching phone numbers against real-time network data. The development follows CelcomDigi’s recent partnership with PayNet to strengthen payment security across Malaysia’s digital ecosystem.
The federated model allows participating operators to maintain individual control over their data, policies, and revenue while enabling cross-network interoperability. Businesses can connect their platforms to multiple mobile networks’ combined intelligence through a single API, expanding fraud prevention capabilities across Malaysia’s digital ecosystem. The approach mirrors successful implementations in other ASEAN nations, including Vietnam’s recent adoption of the GSMA Open Gateway framework.
The service implements two distinct verification mechanisms: network-based verification, which identifies subscribers directly through telco networks, and SIM-based verification, which confirms ownership based on the device’s installed SIM card. These methods authenticate users during various digital interactions, including app registration, logins, and password resets, providing an alternative to traditional SMS-based one-time passwords. Similar technology has been successfully demonstrated by Motive and Telefónica using the GSMA Open Gateway’s Number Verification API.
“The launch represents a collective technological step forward,” said Albern Murty, Acting CEO of CelcomDigi, “in strengthening digital trust and security.” GSMA’s Head of Asia Pacific, Julian Gorman, called the initiative “a milestone” for the GSMA Open Gateway programme, adding that “online scams and fraud are a growing concern for everyone across the ASEAN region and unless tackled properly, could erode public trust in the digital economy.”
The initiative is part of the global GSMA Open Gateway programme, which encompasses 79 mobile operator groups representing 291 networks and approximately 80 percent of worldwide mobile connections. The Number Verification API delivers several technical advantages, including real-time network data verification, streamlined authentication processes, cross-operator compatibility, and support for multiple authentication scenarios. The service supports Malaysia’s broader digital transformation efforts, including the upcoming launch of MyGOV Beta, a unified government services platform planned for 2025.
Sources: SecurityBrief Asia, CRN Asia, TechEnt, The Star, Malay Mail
