en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) Terminal Steering Group has approved the "App Token" mechanism led by Telefónica, providing operators with a unified method to authenticate and authorize applications that can access network slices. Telefónica commended the GSMA for establishing industry-level standards for application-aware 5G network slicing, which is expected to enable new telecommunications service offerings and enhance network security.

In current 5G networks, the device's operating system determines how applications send traffic to the network, leaving operators with little visibility. Telefónica considers this a limitation for differentiated 5G services, as operators cannot tailor network slicing products for specific applications. After over two years of work by GSMA working groups (covering 200 organizations in the mobile industry), App Token creates a "common language" for mobile operators, operating system vendors, and application developers. Telefónica stated that this mechanism enables "more efficient, secure, and scalable traffic management on 5G networks." It uses anonymous identifiers to verify which applications are allowed to use network slices without exposing the true identity of the application to the core network, thereby enhancing security and privacy—an approach the operator says "protects privacy while maintaining control." This also prevents fraud, blocking fake or unauthorized applications from accessing critical or premium services. Operators can see which applications are using network slice resources, ensuring service level agreements (SLAs) for enterprise services, as applications can be authorized at the network level to use the required network portion "with predictable performance." Telefónica noted that the App Token specification aims to achieve "better traffic management, dynamic application of URSP rules (User Equipment Route Selection Policy), and smarter use of network resources in a collaborative rather than isolated manner."

While proprietary workarounds previously existed, App Token provides a standardized approach. The key challenge now is enabling commercial devices to support this specification. Cayetano Carbajo, Director of Core Network, Transport, Innovation and Ecosystem under Telefónica's Global Chief Technology and Information Officer, stated that the specification was achieved through cross-industry collaboration led by Telefónica, confirming that 5G networks are becoming an intelligent and reliable platform adapted to the needs of each application. Telefónica currently offers various enterprise network slicing solutions, including emergency services, fixed wireless access, supporting dedicated 5G networks, providing connectivity between enterprise locations, or offering priority internet access for customer employees. Last week, the company launched a consumer product called Fast Pass, delivering better network performance in crowded scenarios such as festivals or sports events. The development of network slicing has been constrained by the slow deployment of 5G standalone (SA) core networks, particularly in Europe. According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, 33 operators offer network slicing for differentiated connectivity services, with equipment vendors identifying 118 such service instances, 65 of which have been commercialized as subscriptions, add-ons, or bundled B2B products.

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