PLDT Enterprise said Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) has received GSMA Open Gateway certification for its SmartSafe RoamStatus API, allowing businesses to verify if a customer’s mobile phone is roaming overseas or still in the Philippines as part of fraud detection.
The certification makes Smart the first Philippine telecom provider to secure GSMA Open Gateway certifications for both Number Verification and Device Roaming Status APIs. Smart previously earned certification for its Number Verification API, which powers SmartSafe SilentAccess, a password-free authentication solution introduced in November 2025.
The new RoamStatus API gives businesses a simple yes-or-no response on whether a customer’s phone is roaming. It does not track a person’s exact location or expose personal information. Instead, it provides another layer of context when companies assess potentially risky transactions.
For example, if someone attempts a large online banking transaction while the registered mobile phone is suddenly roaming abroad, the bank can trigger additional security checks before approving the request. The capability is designed for banks, e-commerce platforms, fintech firms, and other digital services that face increasing online fraud.
“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.
The certification comes under the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, which standardizes mobile network APIs so developers and businesses can build secure digital services that work across multiple operators and countries. The initiative is based on the CAMARA open-source project under the Linux Foundation.
“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,” said Julian Gorman, head of Asia Pacific at GSMA. “Certified APIs are critical to building trust and enabling cross-operator interoperability, allowing digital services to be delivered at scale through standardized, secure, and consistent network capabilities.”
According to GSMA, more than 300 mobile networks representing over 80% of global mobile connections now support the Open Gateway initiative, making it easier for businesses to deploy applications across markets using common network standards.
PLDT Enterprise said SmartSafe will continue to expand with additional network-powered security tools, including SmartSafe NetIdentity for verifying SIM and device authenticity, SmartSafe GeoCheck for network-based location verification, and SmartSafe KYCPlus for stronger identity verification.
The company said these services are built on Smart’s nationwide mobile network and are intended to help Philippine enterprises strengthen digital security while reducing friction for customers.