In an increasingly connected world, whether a user is connected via 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, or even enterprise networks, the user expects seamless connectivity and, by extension, a silent, unified authentication experience. Authentication methods such as number verification were designed for cellular networks and are inadequate for other types of networks.
The reality thus far is very different, as devices regularly switch between connectivity types. Users access services over Wi-Fi in homes and offices, and applications span from native applications to web browsers on companion devices, making authentication difficult and complex. The challenge is not just authenticating—it’s about authenticating reliably, securely, and silently across any network.
Shabodi NetAware for Silent Verification
This is where TS.43 Service Entitlement Configuration, which has been around for several years, can be leveraged for non-3GPP networks. TS.43 is a GSMA specification that enables seamless service entitlement and authentication via standards.
Initially designed to control the activation of VoLTE, VoWiFi, and related IP services, it has evolved to include 5G VoNR and eSIM activation and to provide a standardized, secure entitlement and authentication framework for enabling dynamic, subscriber-specific activation behavior for services and applications on the device.
With the introduction of a new GSMA Number Verification method that leverages the token-based authentication capabilities of TS.43, we unlock updated verification capabilities across Wi-Fi, private networks, and alternative connectivity methods—all while maintaining the security and privacy that modern applications demand.
Shabodi NetAware enables TS.43 token-based authentication, which allows us to do Number Verification without the need to be connected to a cellular network, resulting authentication verification regardless of the type of network the device is connected (a Silent Number Verification), and also reducing the friction that comes with other authentication methods like SMS OTP, making applications to be more secure and efficient.
Shabodi NetAware putting TS.43 to work for Silent Number Verification
NetAware acts as a middleware between mobile operators and application providers, serving as a programmable network platform that understands both GSMA standards like TS.43 and Open Gateway, and exposes CAMARA APIs to developers and digital teams so they can embed them into their applications and operational workflows.
NetAware implements the entitlement flows, token validation, and security models required by TS.43, which it then exposes as streamlined APIs to developers, such as Number Verifications v1 & v2, SIM Swap and others, that leverage the telco capabilities and allow for secure authentication and fraud reduction.
Consider the experience from the point of view of a banking app. A user installs the app on a smartphone, and the app would send an SMS one-time password and rely on the user to copy-paste a code, which not only introduces friction but opens the door for man-in-the-middle and phishing attacks.
With NetAware and TS.43 in play, the app instead triggers a Silent Number Verification call via NetAware’s API (which supports not just TS.43 but alternatively can also use OIDC and CAMARA). NetAware validates a TS.43 operator token generated on the device, confirms that the device and number match an active subscription, and returns a simple “verified” response to the bank—no visible SMS, no code entry, and no direct exposure of the MSISDN to the application.
The elegance lies in who carries the burden. TS.43 defines how to create and manage that operator token across non-3GPP networks, but NetAware validates how to obtain, cache, validate, and map it into the Open Gateway Number Verification service in a way that application teams can consume. To the bank, NetAware looks like a reliable, frictionless and consistent identity and verification service, which can bring in additional security measures and eliminates device-specific entitlement quirks.
Beyond verification: NetAware as the bridge to QoD and other network APIs
Silent Number Verification is just the starting point. Once Shabodi NetAware has established identity via a reliable, token-based identity for a device using TS.43 (on either iOS or Android), that identity becomes a key that can unlock a larger ecosystem of network APIs.
Customers who have invested in solutions like Google Firebase often face gaps with Apple devices, IoT ecosystems, or proprietary stacks from hyperscalers and other giants. Shabodi NetAware bridges these by providing a unified, provider-agnostic platform that handles all permutations and combinations, regardless of underlying proprietary technologies.
The same platform that silently verifies a number can make policy-aware decisions about how the underlying network treats that device and its traffic, bridging TS.43 entitlements with GSMA Open Gateway capabilities such as Quality on Demand (QoD), Device Location, SIM Swap detection, and even network slicing in more advanced setups.
Take the example of a traveler at an airport who is connected to the airport network and the airport application is authenticated via NetAware. The traveler starts a real-time video consultation with customer support about a rebooking or a payment step for ancillary services; the traveler would like to ensure the session is reliable and stable and would want to get a temporary boost to the quality of his session on the airport Wi-Fi. Because NetAware has already verified the device via TS.43, the traveler can request QoD for his session, instructing the underlying Wi-Fi or private 5G infrastructure and the operator network to prioritize that traffic without needing to reauthenticate and request a new service.
Conclusion: The Future is Network-Aware
The deployment of TS.43 via Shabodi NetAware marks a turning point for the programmable network. We are moving past the era of “best effort” connectivity and insecure SMS verification into an era where the network is an active participant in the user’s digital life.
For operators, Shabodi NetAware unlocks the value of their core infrastructure, allowing them to monetize identity and quality APIs that were previously inaccessible to the broader developer community. For enterprises and developers, it offers a way to build applications that are not just connected, but network-aware apps that are more secure, less intrusive, and capable of demanding the performance they need.
By making the network invisible to the user but highly visible to the application, Shabodi NetAware is setting the standard for the next generation of digital experiences. Whether for a travel, banking, manufacturing or other industries, the future of connectivity is silent, secure, and seamless.