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Get Started with TM Forum Open APIs

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

  • Explain TM Forum Open APIs.
  • Describe why TM Forum Open APIs matter to communications service providers (CSPs).
  • Identify how Salesforce Communications Cloud conforms with TM Forum Open APIs.
  • List the steps to get started with Communications Cloud’s TM Forum–compliant APIs.
Note

Communications Cloud includes integrated platform solutions and managed packages. Both support TM Forum Open APIs.

Consult the Communications Cloud TM Forum API Release Notes to find out what Communications Cloud TM Forum APIs are supported.

Before You Start

Before you start this module, consider completing this recommended content.

Meet TM Forum

TM Forum—short for TeleManagement Forum—helps communications service providers (CSPs) standardize their operations, improve how they exchange information, and maintain interoperability among multiple systems. TM Forum creates widely adopted frameworks and APIs to streamline business processes, service management, and IT integration. Its Open APIs are standardized, REST-based APIs that enable CSPs to integrate systems and partners more easily and cost-effectively.

These APIs provide a common language and structure for data exchange across different systems and applications. Imagine building five different integrations for five different partners—each one custom, each one fragile.

That’s the reality many CSPs face without standards. TM Forum Open APIs solve this problem by giving every system a shared language. And with Salesforce Communications Cloud conforming to these APIs, you can connect faster, with less risk and less rework.

Note

Communications service providers (CSPs) are often referred to as telecommunications companies, or simply telcos.

And that’s not all. TM Forum Open APIs:

  • Accelerate integration and time to market.
  • Reduce customizations and total cost of ownership.
  • Enhance operational efficiency and agility.
  • Future proof business processes.
  • Help avoid vendor lock-in.

For CSPs, TM Forum Open API conformance means less time reinventing the wheel and more time delivering new services. With Communications Cloud, every request and response speaks the same language—no translation headaches required.

How Communications Cloud Works with TM Forum

Let’s review how Communications Cloud conforms with TM Forum Open APIs when communicating with external systems.

TM Forum Open API conformant request and response between external systems and Communications Cloud.

External systems are clients such as a customer portal, custom partner app, and mobile app, or test software such as scripts and Postman. And, of course, there is Communications Cloud, a system eagerly waiting to have a conversation with the client. In the same way a conversation between two people is only efficient and effective when speaking the same language, each conversation between the client and server must be in the same language, too. That is, both the request from the client and the response from the server must be TM Forum Open API conformant.

TM Forum Open APIs are divided into two categories, or modes. The ins and outs are a matter of perspective. The server's perspective, to be precise.

  • Inbound APIs are called by the external client systems. Inbound APIs are exposed on top of Communications Cloud to enable external systems to interact with Salesforce data models. For example, a customer service representative requests customer information from the CSP’s portal.
  • Outbound APIs are used by Communications Cloud to communicate with downstream systems, such as checking service eligibility based on an address or location.

Your Journey with TM Forum and Communications Cloud

Getting started with Communications Cloud’s TM Forum–compliant APIs follows a straightforward path. Think of it as a series of simple steps that build on each other, beginning with the model and ending with create, read, update, delete (CRUD) operations.Typical progression for Communications Cloud and TM Forum usage.

Each step builds on the last, guiding you from first access to making secure, standards-based API calls.

  • Understand the TM Forum Open API communication model.
  • Access a Communications Cloud org to try it out.
  • Use documentation to find the right endpoints and URL format.
  • Authenticate to ensure secure requests.
  • Access and manipulate data using the TM Forum Open API. For example, you can:
    • GET Communications Cloud data (Read)
    • POST Communications Cloud data (Create/Update)
    • DELETE Communications Cloud data (Delete)

Once you’re familiar with these steps, you can apply the complete range of CRUD operations to customer records, catalog data, or any other supported TM Forum Open API.

Now that you know the basics, you have what you need to go further. Your Communications Cloud org may need additional configuration to support APIs. Endpoint availability and URL formats can vary by release, so be sure to check the Release Notes and documentation for the most up-to-date details.

Resources

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