At MWC Barcelona 2026, Capacity’s Amber Jackson speaks with Nicholas Nikrouyan, VP Voice, Mobile & Digital Solutions at T Wholesale, and Ulvi Kirkkeseli, Director of Strategic Partnerships at TikTok, about how telecom operators and digital platforms are collaborating to transform authentication.

The discussion explores how traditional SMS-based verification is creating friction and security vulnerabilities, and how network-based authentication enabled by the GSMA Open Gateway initiative can deliver a faster, more secure and seamless login experience.

TikTok and T Wholesale explain how silent authentication works in practice, why it improves conversion and user experience, and how network APIs such as number verification could become a foundation for broader digital trust services, from fraud prevention to future 5G-enabled capabilities.

The partnership highlights how telecom operators and digital platforms are moving beyond traditional roles to build trusted digital experiences together.