Breaking down the Android Network Ready program

Android Network Ready is a Google initiative built to standardise how carriers certify and launch specific features on their networks. It uses the GSMA TS.43 entitlement specification to ensure that new features work across the ecosystem without needing custom code for every phone model.

Some features covered by Android Network Ready include:

• eSIM Transfer: Users can move their eSIM and mobile plan from an old phone to a new Android device by themselves.
• Cross-Platform RCS: Modern messaging that replaces standard SMS with features like high-res media and read receipts across iOS and Android.
• Phone Number Verification: Background authentication that confirms a user's identity without SMS OTP.
• Satellite: Maintain connectivity in remote locations or during network outages.

Why Entitlement Server (ES) is the core of the program

For an operator to support the vast majority of use cases within the Android Network Ready program, an Entitlement Server is a technical requirement. It acts as the essential bridge between the carrier’s network and the Android device to validate and activate services in real time.

Google sets the rules, but the ES does the heavy lifting. Many traditional entitlement vendors have long and complex sales cycles, and rigid roadmaps that stall carrier’s certification.

NetLync’s Entitlements-as-a-Service® (EaaS®) takes a different approach. It provides the technical infrastructure required to meet Google’s standards without the typical 6 to 12-month deployment timeline.

The NetLync difference:

1. Speed to Market: EaaS® is cloud-native and built for rapid deployment. We’ve seen in practice an average of 4 weeks to complete integration on our platform.
2. One Integration for Everything: Enjoy a single integration point for both iOS and Android. Once a carrier is in our portal, they gain direct access to all entitlement use cases. We’ve removed the constant technical and financial burden on carrier engineering teams.
3. Future-Proof Your Network: As Google introduces new services to the Android platform, NetLync makes them available to carriers automatically without manual upgrades, downtime or additional change fees.
4. Pay-as-you-grow pricing: No heavy upfront CapEx, no hidden costs. Carriers only pay for what they actually use, allowing them to scale their entitlement services alongside their subscriber growth.

Prepare your network for what's next

The Android Network Ready status is becoming a mark of a modern operator. It reduces the need for customers to visit retail stores and lowers support costs by making device setup a self-service process. As Google adds more capabilities to Android, the entitlement layer will be the most important part of carrier’s service delivery.

Get started today

NetLync is ready to help your team navigate the Android Network Ready requirements. Contact us to discuss your specific network needs and get a clear path to certification.