ETSI MEC group releases its first package of APIs

• Multi-access Edge Computing ISG publishes standardised APIs
• Designed to facilitate interoperability to advance MEC deployment
• Includes APIs for Radio Network Information and Location Services
• “Inspired by” work done by the TM Forum and Open Mobile Alliance

The ETSI Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) Industry Specification Group (ISG) has released its first package of standardised Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to support edge computing interoperability. The five ETSI Group Specifications address general principles for mobile edge service APIs, application lifecycle management, mobile edge platform application enablement, Radio Network Information API and Location API.

The MEC application enablement framework is a generic framework which is applicable to every environment aimed at opening up the network and exposing information towards authorised third-party applications. Using a newly-created application enablement framework across the industry should help to ensure common practices and interoperability for developers when interfacing their applications with operators’ systems. This should then lead to more innovation and accelerate the development of third-party applications, enabling operators to further capitalise on their network investments.

The MEC API principles specify a generic set of API design principles and patterns, as well as guidance for their documentation. Compliance with these principles ensures consistency across APIs. ETSI said the work “was inspired by” the progress made by the TM Forum and Open Mobile Alliance, as well as approaches currently used in developer communities.

The release also includes APIs for two key value-adding MEC services: Radio Network Information Service (RNIS) and Location Service (LS). The RNIS is a service that provides radio network related information to MEC applications and to MEC platforms, which is used to optimise existing services and also as an input to new types of services utilising real-time access to radio conditions and related events. The LS leverages the Zonal Presence service developed by the Small Cell Forum and is built upon the OMA specification "RESTful Network API for Zonal Presence”.

Additional service APIs, including an API for bandwidth management are expected to be released later this year. Here’s what the outgoing chair of the MEC ISG had to say about APIs during last month’s 5G World event in London.