In simple terms, an API lets you initiate a network function or collect network information with a relatively simple command. The network activity that comes next may be complex, but you don’t have to worry about it. It’s all defined by the parameters of the API.

For instance, let’s say you want to track the location of your service field force. You can do that through an API, without worrying whether the network uses cell-ID, network triangulation, GPS (global positioning system), or some other location technology.

The job of the API is to make such interactions easy, so you don’t get bogged down in the technical details. A software developer who is not telecom-savvy can use APIs to create programs that leverage telecom network capabilities.

Why would AT&T do this? The more companies and developers exploit the power of our network, the more we can grow our services. The real key, though, is what APIs can do for network users. Whether it’s location services, voice call control, video search, or managing what we refer to as “big data,” APIs can help companies use network power to streamline their operations and better serve their customers.

For instance, when a customer opens a service order, you could use an API to see where your service employees are, then direct the closest employee to handle that call. Or, let’s say you own a sports bar near the football stadium. On game day you could use an API to identify all of your customers in the area and invite them by message for a post-game special.

We are working with developers across the world to identify such needs and create new APIs. And the network, which was once operated like a closed system, is becoming more open—and more valuable—for all.

What APIs can you imagine benefiting your business and its customers?

The technician who comes to fix your furnace is probably packing a smart phone. But today, it’s not just for calls. It’s also a pocket database and a place to store, analyze, document, and report your system’s performance. When the job’s done, the tech may even use it to swipe your credit card.

Now multiply this example by billions. Our connected world is different, offering unprecedented opportunities and challenges for businesses of every size and shape.

But what does it all add up to? That’s a key question we’re working to answer at AT&T Labs. We know there is value in this flood of data. But for our customers to see it, we need to help them sift, sort, and select the information they can use from among the rest.

It’s not just the growing volume of data that poses a challenge. The pace or velocity of data, and the brief instant we may have to effectively respond, gives us little time to act. And we’re not talking about data that’s slotted neatly into spaces on a spreadsheet. We’re talking variety—everything from a multi-hundred-word blog post to the single ping of a sensor.

As enterprises go to work on these issues, many are choosing to store and analyze their data and communicate the value they find using “cloud” solutions, instead of in-house data centers. Going to the cloud allows them to focus on their core goals. They don’t have to worry about obtaining real estate, buying servers, hiring staff, or a thousand other data center management minutia. The right provider will match capacity to need and deliver top quality, including world class business continuity and security.

Yet there is another performance factor that must be considered. The cost to transport data—to move raw data from a data warehouse to a separate location for analysis, processing, and visualization—can be significant. In one instance, a major government agency identified this data transfer expense as the single biggest cost of their cloud solution.

What’s the alternative? Instead of picking one cloud provider for storage and a separate operator for analysis, choose a cloud service provider capable of both providing storage and providing analytics on your information. This way you can capture important synergies. Data transfer becomes a minor issue—or none at all. And your enterprise can surf the global data tsunami like a pro.

What do you expect from your cloud provider? Could your organization benefit from a provider that’s capable of capturing, storing, analyzing, and finding value in your data?

In 1995, Mr. Rice joined then AT&T Bell Labs to focus on wireless and broadband communication systems. He worked on satellite communication systems, broadband data communication systems, and led development efforts for a digital radio-based, pico-cellular base-station, which provided in-building, mobile voice communication on standard cellular phones.

Mr. Rice graduated Summa Cum Laude from Virginia Tech with a BSEE/MSEE and completed his MBA from the University of Central Florida while working full-time. He performed post-graduate work with the WINLAB Center of Wireless Excellence at Rutgers University and received a Graduate Certificate in Wireless Information Networks.