MEF

Network Standards and APIsmef.net

Mplify Alliance (formerly MEF Forum) is a global non-profit industry consortium that develops and certifies standards for Network-as-a-Service, LSO APIs, and Carrier Ethernet, serving 200+ member organizations across enterprises, service providers, cloud providers, and technology vendors worldwide.

Company typePrivate
Founded2001
HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
Headcount251–500
GTM typeB2B
OfferingSoftware

What MEF does

Mplify Alliance (formerly MEF Forum, rebranded in June 2025) is a global non-profit industry consortium founded in 2001 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The organization operates as the defining standards body for Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs, cybersecurity certifications, and Carrier Ethernet, serving a membership of over 200 organizations spanning enterprises, service providers, cloud providers, technology providers, data center operators, and systems integrators. Its core technology portfolio includes five standardized LSO APIs (LSO Cantata and Sonata for business automation; LSO Allegro, Interlude, and Legato for operational automation), the LSO Blockchain framework with Integrated Trust Network and Smart Contracts, and a broad service standards taxonomy covering IP, Carrier Ethernet, 5G, Optical Transport, SD-WAN, SASE, and Zero Trust.

Mplify monetizes primarily through membership dues structured as recurring subscriptions, with secondary revenue from certification testing and registration fees for service providers, technology providers, LSO API implementations, and individual professionals. Distribution is conducted through event-driven engagement (Global NaaS Events anchored by two annual Member Summits, regional forums, the Southeast Asia Council), self-serve digital platforms (LSO Marketplace, LSO Springboard, LSO Payload Factory, LSO Developer Community), and thought leadership content (Executives at the Edge Podcast, Edge VIEW Blog, State of the Industry reports). The organization also publishes the LSO Solution Provider Landscape Report and operates the NaaS Excellence Awards program to reinforce ecosystem engagement.

The leadership team includes CTO Pascal Menezes, VP Business Development Michael Gagnon, and Senior Directors of Marketing and Research. The company operates a horizontal segmentation model across all five member categories, with primary emphasis on enterprises and service providers seeking certified, interoperable network and cybersecurity services. Notable documented members include Colt Technology Services (participating in LSO Sonata integration projects with Telekom Deutschland) and PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin), the latter co-hosting regional leadership forums in 2025.

MEF firmographics

Firmographics

Name: MEF
Legal name: Mplify Alliance
Website: https://mef.net
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2001
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 251–500 employees
Short description: Mplify Alliance (formerly MEF Forum) is a global non-profit industry consortium that develops and certifies standards for Network-as-a-Service, LSO APIs, and Carrier Ethernet, serving 200+ member organizations across enterprises, service providers, cloud providers, and technology vendors worldwide.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

MEF industry classification

Industry

Product category: Network Standards and APIs
NAICS: Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
SIC: Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
akta.pro primary industry: Multi-Site Enterprise Connectivity Bundles (Hybrid WAN/MPLS+Internet) (HDAIAFAL)
akta.pro secondary industries: API Development, Integration & Microservices Modernization (BPAEAFAD), Cloud Compliance, Audit & Continuous Controls Monitoring (CCM/GRC) (HDABAHAI), ITSM Governance, Compliance & Audit Readiness (BPAEAJAM)

Keywords

Carrier Ethernet standards
Network-as-a-Service APIs
Lifecycle Service Orchestration
Cybersecurity certification programs
Industry consortium standards

Where MEF is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Los Angeles
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

MEF business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Software
Cost components: Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Membership Dues: MEF/Mplify Alliance operates as a global alliance with over 200 member organizations. Revenue is generated through membership fees from enterprises, service providers, cloud providers, technology providers, and systems integrators.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

MEF product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Mplify Alliance (formerly MEF Forum) develops and maintains industry standards, Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs, and certification programs for Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), Carrier Ethernet, SASE, SD-WAN, SSE, and Zero Trust. It sells membership subscriptions to enterprises, service providers, cloud providers, technology providers, and systems integrators, and provides API access, certification testing, and developer enablement through the LSO Marketplace. The organization also runs community events, research reports, and the NaaS Excellence Awards program.

Product overview

Mplify Alliance (formerly MEF Forum, rebranded June 2025) operates as a global alliance providing a platform-plus-framework architecture centered on Network-as-a-Service (NaaS). The core portfolio includes Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs for automation (LSO Cantata, LSO Sonata for business automation; LSO Allegro, LSO Interlude, LSO Legato for operational automation), supplemented by LSO Blockchain with Integrated Trust Network for smart contracts. The LSO Marketplace, Springboard, Payload Factory, and Developer Community provide ecosystem access and enablement. Service Standards cover connectivity (IP, Carrier Ethernet, 5G, Optical Transport), application assurance (SD-WAN), and cybersecurity (SASE, Zero Trust). Certification programs serve service providers, technology providers, LSO API implementations, and professionals. The ecosystem is supported by research reports, the Executives at the Edge Podcast, Edge VIEW Blog, NaaS Excellence Awards, and Global NaaS Events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) Framework Comprehensive framework for on-demand connectivity, application assurance, cybersecurity, and multi-cloud networking services enabling enterprises to access standardized, certified network services without owning infrastructure.
LSO Cantata LSO API for business automation, part of the Lifecycle Service Orchestration suite enabling standardized automation of enterprise network service ordering and management.
LSO Sonata LSO API for business automation enabling standardized automation workflows for enterprise network service operations and business processes.
LSO Allegro LSO API for operational automation focused on network service operations and infrastructure management.
LSO Interlude LSO API for operational automation providing standardized interfaces for network service orchestration and operational workflows.
LSO Legato LSO API for operational automation enabling standardized lifecycle management of network services and infrastructure.
LSO Blockchain (Integrated Trust Network) Blockchain-based trust infrastructure including LSO Smart Contracts for automating agreements and transactions within the network service ecosystem, powered by the Integrated Trust Network.
LSO Marketplace Platform providing easy access to the latest LSO APIs and resources for developers and service providers to discover and implement MEF's automation standards.
LSO Springboard Developer enablement platform providing tools and resources to help developers get started with implementing LSO APIs.
LSO Payload Factory Tool for creating and managing API payloads for LSO implementations, supporting standardized request/response formats.
LSO Developer Community Community platform for developers working with LSO APIs to collaborate, share knowledge, and advance implementation best practices.
Service Provider Certifications Certification programs for service providers covering Carrier Ethernet, SASE, SD-WAN, SSE, and Zero Trust services, with corresponding service registries.
Technology Provider Certifications Certification programs for technology providers covering Carrier Ethernet, SASE, SD-WAN, SSE, and Zero Trust technology solutions.
LSO API Test & Certifications Testing and certification services for LSO APIs including test services, API certification, and LSO API Registry for validated implementations.
Professional Certifications Professional certification programs for individuals in Carrier Ethernet, SD-WAN, and SDN/NFV technologies, with a professional registry.
Service Standards Standardized service specifications including Underlay Services (IP, Carrier Ethernet, 5G, Optical Transport), Overlay Services (SD-WAN), and Cybersecurity Services (SASE, Zero Trust).
Global NaaS Events (GNE) Year-round engagement program anchored by two Member Summits, establishing a focused framework for sustained NaaS industry collaboration.
NaaS Excellence Awards Annual awards program highlighting innovation, collaboration, and industry leadership within the NaaS ecosystem.

Companies that use MEF

Customer profile

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

MEF technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API: Yes
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

MEF partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MEF and Telin co-hosted the MEF Leadership Forum Indonesia and MEF Meet-Up Jakarta 2025, bringing together industry leaders to discuss digital transformation themes including Telco APIs, Agentic AI, mobile intelligence, and the API economy. Telin executives led multiple keynote sessions and panel discussions, including presentations on Telin's CPaaS platform NeuAPIX, RCS adoption, and Indonesia's roadmap toward a USD 130 billion GDP target by 2030.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

MEF competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute): Major European-based ICT standards organization producing globally adopted standards across telecom, networking, and emerging technologies. Comparable as a broader telecom standards incumbent with overlapping subject matter (5G, network slicing, NaaS-related APIs) and a similar standards-development governance model.
ITU (International Telecommunication Union): United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies. Comparable as a higher-level incumbent telecom standards body covering carrier networks, 5G, and emerging network architectures; offers a broader and more governmental alternative to Mplify's vendor-led approach.

Direct peers

GSMA: International mobile industry organization representing mobile operators and the broader mobile ecosystem. Comparable as a global membership consortium standardizing mobile network services (e.g., eSIM, RCS, Open Gateway APIs) and offering certification programs for the same enterprise member base Mplify serves.
Open Networking Foundation (ONF): Operator-led consortium driving open, programmable network infrastructure through reference designs like SDN and disaggregated broadband. Comparable as a membership-driven standards body for network operators and vendors pursuing software-defined networking and automation, overlapping on NaaS-adjacent territory.
TM Forum: Global industry association for telecom operators and digital service providers, focused on OSS/BSS standards, APIs, and digital transformation. Directly comparable as a membership-driven consortium that defines operational standards for telecom service providers, with overlapping member base and similar revenue model.
Broadband Forum: Industry standards organization for broadband networks covering DSL, fiber, and emerging access technologies. Closely comparable as a nonprofit consortium publishing interoperability standards, certification programs, and APIs for fixed-line network operators — a direct neighbor to Mplify in the access and connectivity stack.

Peers

ATIS (Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions):

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

MEF financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

MEF leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

MEF funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

MEF M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MEF

What does MEF do?

Is MEF a public or private company?

MEF is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was MEF founded?

MEF was founded in 2001. It employs 251 to 500 people.

Where is MEF based?

MEF is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.

How does MEF make money?

One revenue line is on record: membership Dues.

Who are MEF's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) and ITU (International Telecommunication Union). Direct peers are GSMA, Open Networking Foundation (ONF), TM Forum and Broadband Forum. ATIS (Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions) is listed as a peer.

Does MEF have an API?

Yes. MEF provides Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs standardized to enable and scale an automated ecosystem. The LSO APIs include business automation APIs (LSO Cantata, LSO Sonata) and operational automation APIs (LSO Allegro, LSO Interlude, LSO Legato). Access is available through the LSO Marketplace (LSO.Mplify.net), LSO Springboard, LSO Payload Factory, and LSO Developer Community. Developer documentation is at lso.mplify.net.

What industry is MEF in?

MEF's product category is Network Standards and APIs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAFAL, Multi-Site Enterprise Connectivity Bundles (Hybrid WAN/MPLS+Internet), with a secondary code of BPAEAFAD, API Development, Integration & Microservices Modernization. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.