January 2025 Summaries

Vonage is relaunching its free online developer event series, Vonage Knowledge Quest, in 2025, offering a variety of interactive workshops aimed at enhancing programming skills with Vonage products. These workshops, featuring sessions on mitigating fraud with Network APIs, building WhatsApp agents using low-code platforms, and integrating multi-participant video conferencing into React apps, are led by various Vonage developer advocates. Participants can learn how to apply these technologies in practical, real-world scenarios, with recordings available for those unable to attend live. To stay informed on upcoming events, developers can join the Vonage Community Slack, follow their updates on social media, or subscribe to their monthly newsletter.

Jon Montana, a seasoned Senior Product Manager for Vonage Video API with over 20 years of experience, announces the general availability of VP9 with Scalable Video Coding (SVC) for Routed Sessions in the Vonage Video API as of August 2025. Initially published as a public beta in January 2025, VP9 is an open-source video codec developed by Google that improves upon its predecessor, VP8, by offering better video quality at lower bandwidths, making it ideal for bandwidth-constrained networks. The release aims to enhance the video experience by providing higher quality video at similar bitrates, and Vonage encourages developers to explore their documentation and join their community for further engagement and support.

Vonage is set to deprecate the Real-Time Indicators fields from its Number Insight Advanced API, which include the "active_status" and "handset_status" attributes, as their functionality is already covered by the "valid_number" and "reachable" attributes available by default. This change, effective from October 1, 2025, aims to simplify the API and reduce unnecessary data processing without affecting billing or requiring endpoint configuration changes. Users are advised to review their current implementations to ensure they are not reliant on the deprecated attributes, and the Vonage support team is available for assistance in the transition. This initiative, in collaboration with Python Developer Advocate Max Kahan, reflects Vonage's commitment to maximizing API value and minimizing complexity for customers.

In the second part of a series on creating a phone number-based authentication flow, the focus shifts to developing a mobile application that uses the Vonage Number Verification API to enhance security by replacing traditional SMS verification with a more robust two-factor authentication (2FA) method. This tutorial guides users through setting up a user interface in an Android application using Kotlin, detailing the implementation of backend communication for login and authorization processes. The application sends user phone numbers to a backend server and uses the Vonage Client SDK to verify these numbers through network APIs, bypassing WiFi to use mobile data for additional security. Overall, this approach aims to provide a secure and user-friendly alternative to SMS-based verification, reducing fraud risks associated with SMS channels. The full source code is available on GitHub, and users are encouraged to join the Vonage Developer Community for further support and updates.

Nahid Islam, a seasoned Senior Product Manager with over six years of experience in software development and product management, has successfully led teams in the SaaS and CPaaS domains. The SIP Dashboard and Domain Service API are highlighted as transformative tools in simplifying SIP trunking for developers and IT professionals, offering features like guided setup, domain creation, and user authentication, all designed to streamline processes and enhance productivity. These tools facilitate seamless transitions from standard SIP functionality to advanced integrations, such as Voice API use cases, while the Domain Service API provides backend control and troubleshooting capabilities, ensuring efficient domain management and robust communication systems.

Chuck Reeves, a Senior JavaScript Developer Advocate, shares insights on building a Rich Communication Services (RCS) reminder app using the Vonage Messages API and Node.js. The article outlines the process of setting up an RCS Agent, creating a Vonage Application, and using various npm packages such as @vonage/server-sdk and express to send and receive messages. It explains how RCS enhances traditional messaging with features like real-time messaging and rich interactive elements, offering a modern experience similar to popular apps like WhatsApp. The guide walks through the app development process, including scheduling reminders using the cron package and utilizing webhooks for user interactions, to demonstrate how developers can create engaging messaging applications. With RCS set to launch on Vonage's platform in early fall 2024, developers are encouraged to explore this advanced messaging protocol for building feature-rich applications.

The article introduces a two-part series on creating a phone number-based authentication system using Vonage APIs and tools, aiming to enhance security by moving beyond traditional username and password combinations. In part one, the focus is on developing the backend using Node.js with Express, where the Network Enablement API and Number Verification API are utilized to streamline and secure the authentication process. The backend implementation involves setting up endpoints to handle login requests and callbacks, optimizing the authentication flow through Vonage's Network API Sandbox, and verifying phone numbers linked to SIM cards to ensure user authenticity. The process includes generating authorization URLs and exchanging authorization codes for access tokens, ultimately allowing for a reliable two-factor authentication mechanism. The article also provides a method for testing the backend setup using a Python script, highlighting the effectiveness of phone-number-based 2FA in protecting against fraud and unauthorized access.

Simon Schlephorst, a Customer Solutions Manager at Vonage, plays a crucial role in helping customers and partners maximize the value of Vonage's products, focusing on transforming communication from one-way interactions to conversations and advancing the company's anti-fraud initiatives. One significant issue he addresses is SMS fraud, particularly involving the misuse of SMS for two-factor authentication (2FA) codes. Vonage has developed the Fraud Defender tool to combat this, offering features like Traffic Rules and Volumetric Changes Alerts to monitor and control abnormal SMS traffic, which are free for all customers. These alerts can be set to notify users via email or Slack to ensure timely responses to potential fraud attempts. Schlephorst's efforts extend beyond work, as he enjoys outdoor activities and electronic music production in his personal time.

Vonage experienced significant growth and innovation in 2024, highlighted by the release of over 100 articles and videos, the attendance of 75+ developer events globally, and the launch of a new suite of Network APIs. The company introduced a revamped Vonage Python SDK v4, which features Pydantic models for data validation and enhanced error handling, and a new Kotlin SDK that leverages Kotlin’s strengths for cleaner, expressive interaction with Vonage APIs. The Network Enablement API was also launched to improve frontend authentication and reduce latency for mobile workflows, while RCS Business Messaging achieved general availability within the Vonage Messages API, marking a shift from traditional SMS. Additionally, the community page was redesigned to enhance access to resources and foster engagement, setting the stage for continued advancements in 2025.