Author: Regel Gonzalez Usach, UPV

A Network Application or Network App is a software piece that interacts with the control plane of a (B)5G network by consuming exposed APIs in a standardized and trusted way, to compose and offer services built upon network functionality to authorized applications. This way, Network Apps can allow application and services to be network-aware, benefiting from real-time network information and taking advantage of network functionality. 

A Network App can be considered as a vertical application with the additional capability to consume northbound APIs of a mobile network in a trusted way compliant to the exposure policies of the mobile operator. The introduction of a Network App ecosystem is something beyond the introduction of a new type of vertical applications; it refers to the request for a separated middleware layer between applications and the 5G Network control plane; this middleware will simplify the implementation and deployment of vertical systems at large scale.  

An open Software Development Kit for facilitating the creation of Network App has been provided by the H2020 EVOLVED-5G project, and it is available through this link. This SDK provides a Network App template and a set of libraries for facilitating the programming of the services to be offered through the Network App exposed APIs.