Telefónica says the GSMA Terminal Steering Group has approved App Token, a standard for application-aware 5G network slicing that could open up new telco services. The Spanish operator led the initiative.
The App Token mechanism gives operators a uniform way to authenticate and authorize applications that can access a network slice. Telefónica says it also gives them visibility into which apps are using slice resources, something operators do not have today.
What App Token changes in the slice model
Telefónica says the specification creates a common language for mobile operators, operating system vendors, and application developers. It also aims to improve traffic management, security, privacy, and the dynamic application of URSP rules, while using anonymized identifiers so the core network can verify access without revealing an app’s real identity.
That matters because Telefónica says the approach is meant to support more efficient, secure, and scalable traffic management on 5G networks. The operator says commercial device support is now the remaining dependency.
Telefónica’s enterprise slicing playbook
Telefónica already offers enterprise network slicing propositions for emergency services, fixed wireless access, private 5G networks, connectivity between enterprise locations, and priority internet access for employees. Last week, it also launched Fast Pass, a consumer offering for better network performance in crowded settings such as festivals and sporting events.
Network slicing has been slow to take off alongside sluggish 5G standalone core deployments, especially in Europe. Ericsson’s latest Mobility Report said 33 operators offer network slicing for differentiated connectivity services, with 118 instances in total and 65 commercially available as a subscription, add-on, or packaged B2B offering.
Read for enterprise and device teams
For enterprise connectivity buyers, the practical shift is that Telefónica is pushing a standard way to authorize apps at the network level instead of relying on proprietary workarounds. For device and OS vendors, the remaining gate is support in commercial devices, which Telefónica says the App Token still depends on.
Cayetano Carbajo, Telefónica’s director of core, transport, innovation and ecosystem, said the specification was made possible by cross-sector collaboration led by Telefónica. He said the 5G network is becoming a platform that adapts to the needs of each application.