The spatial web: Ushering in a new era of digital interactions and opportunities for telecommunication service providers

In this post: 

• Read about Red Hat’s involvement in the TM Forum Catalyst project, “Spatial Web: Open gateway to the immersive future.”
• Learn how the latest technologies, including Red Hat OpenShift and open source projects like CAMARA complement innovative solutions.
• Find out how service providers can take advantage of this project to open new revenue opportunities.

The internet is on the cusp of its next major evolution. Moving beyond the traditional web of linked pages, we are entering the era of the spatial web. This transformative concept will blend the digital and physical worlds imperceptibly, redefining how we interact, conduct business and experience digital services. It will also shift user interaction from a request-based internet model to an intent-based internet model. 

This evolution presents significant opportunities for telecommunication (telco) service providers who are able to provide access to real-time capabilities such as identity, location and network quality in a standardized, automated, security-focused and scalable way. STL Partners forecasts that the mobile network API revenue opportunity could reach US$34 billion by 2030.

The spatial web catalyst 

The TM Forum Catalyst project, “Spatial Web: Open gateway to the immersive future,” is a real implementation focused on developing a new, open communication protocol. Red Hat is collaborating with TIM Brazil, Telefonica, Hansen, Matrixx, Nabstract.io and NTT Data for this exciting project, which will demonstrate how service providers can manage spatial web nodes and offer them as a service, creating innovative service models and new revenue streams. 

Spatial web promises a more security-focused, private and user-centric digital future. For service providers, it is not just an evolution; it is a fundamental opportunity to use real-time network capabilities to build new services and capture significant new revenue streams in a converging digital and physical world.  

“A Coordinated Ecosystem for Immersive Services” diagram created by the TM Forum Catalyst team

What is the spatial web?

The spatial web is the convergence of physical and digital realities. It represents the next iteration of the internet where physical spaces, devices, people and AI agents are connected. Instead of just connecting information, the spatial web connects virtually anything through a common standard. This environment will enable immersive experiences, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), intelligent automation powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and a vast network of interconnected devices. Any device, whether it is a smartphone, sensor, headset or autonomous vehicle, will be able to instantly share data, knowledge and capabilities.

The spatial web relies heavily on advanced network capabilities, including high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity provided by a 5G network, edge computing and robust security, all of which can be provided by service providers. But to unlock all the ecosystem capabilities it has to offer, the spatial web needs open protocols connecting CSPs as platform providers with numerous partners comprising diverse value chains.

The shift to an intent-based internet

Fundamental to this new era is a move away from the current request-based internet model. In the request-based model, users initiate interactions by sending requests to centralized servers. This architecture, built on the client-server paradigm, has facilitated rapid internet growth but comes with significant challenges, particularly regarding privacy and security. User data is often stored on centralized servers, creating a single point of failure and making it vulnerable to breaches and unauthorized access. 

In contrast, the emerging intent-based internet promotes a decentralized approach that prioritizes user autonomy and privacy. Users interact with services based on their intentions, much like natural human behavior. This model enhances security by distributing data across multiple nodes, reducing the risk of breaches compared to centralized servers. The spatial web is grounded in this idea of intent, with interactions mediated by a decentralized infrastructure that prioritizes autonomy and privacy.

Why the spatial web matters for service providers

The spatial web and the underlying shift to an intent-based model represent a significant opportunity for service providers.

As critical enablers and platform providers in this emerging economy, service providers can take advantage of their existing infrastructure and core competencies to:

• Provide foundational connectivity: Offer the necessary 5G high-speed, low-latency connectivity required for immersive experiences and connected devices.
• Manage spatial web nodes: Develop new services by managing spatial web nodes, which are essential components for spatial computing and positioning-based services.
• Offer location-based services: Utilize technologies like geofencing to enable location-based services, creating new revenue streams by allowing businesses to deliver targeted content to users within specific zones.
• Tap into IoT opportunities: Provide IoT solutions and infrastructure for communication and data exchange in a spatial context, supporting initiatives like smart cities and tapping into the growing market of connected devices.
• Enable security-focused digital identity management: Take advantage of existing customer databases and authentication technologies to offer security-focused identity verification services, particularly valuable in sectors like finance and healthcare.
• Support governmental applications: Collaborate with governments on services related to public safety, infrastructure management and emergency response systems, utilizing network infrastructure for smart city solutions.
• Facilitate remote rendering: Provide bandwidth and edge computing capabilities to support complex visual rendering for AR/VR applications, positioning telcos as key players in these markets.
• Integrate AI agent pools: Offer access to pools of AI agents to provide intelligent functionalities for spatial applications, enabling businesses to integrate advanced analytics and automation.

What is Red Hat demonstrating in this catalyst?

Crucially, the development and use of GSMA Open Gateway application programming interfaces (APIs) via CAMARA and TM Forum Open APIs are key to enabling and monetizing these opportunities. The GSMA Open Gateway initiative, with support from a large percentage of global service providers, aims to provide universal access to network APIs for developers. TM Forum plays a role in defining open APIs, facilitating integration between service providers and channel partners. Specifically, this catalyst project involves the implementation of the Open Gateway Product Catalog API (TMF936) and a proposal for the Open Gateway Product Usage Management API (TMF937). This facilitates product catalog sharing and billing between service providers and channel partners, building essential assets for Open Gateway monetization.

Red Hat has been working in the catalyst to focus not only on the underlying platform for various different components to run on, but also ensure that these critical APIs are exposed and managed in a security-focused, scalable and reliable way. Red Hat OpenShift provides the Kubernetes container orchestration layer that supports the other containerised services. In the future we can also look at hosting any of the partners that have just a virtual machine-based solution on this, as well. The API management layer is built on Red Hat 3scale API Management, which works closely with Nabstract and Matrixx to expose the complex APIs in a way that makes them accessible and consumable by developers.

Join us at the DTW in Copenhagen!

The future of telecommunications is being built today, and this catalyst project offers a compelling glimpse into that future. We believe the insights and solutions showcased will be invaluable as you navigate your own transformation journey.

Stop by our booth at the DTW in Copenhagen from June 17-19, 2025. We’ll discuss how these pioneering concepts can be applied to your specific challenges and explore how we can collaborate to build a more intelligent and agile telco landscape. We’re excited to share what we’ve learned and explore the possibilities with you.