Mobile NFC Gains Momentum as Operators Worldwide Pledge Support for SIM-Based Solution

China Mobile and China Unicom Join Leading Operators in Backing Mobile NFC; GSMA Publishes Mobile NFC Specifications to Drive Global Interoperability

HONG KONG, Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile Asia Congress -- The GSMA today announced that 45 of the world's leading mobile operators have committed to support and implement SIM-based Near Field Communications (NFC) solutions and services. These operators include China Mobile and China Unicom, which account for nearly 800 million connections throughout China. As an important catalyst in accelerating the adoption of NFC services, the GSMA has published a new set of industry specifications.  These handset and SIM specifications will enable the development and global deployment of secure, interoperable and ubiquitous SIM-based mobile NFC services.  

In addition to China Mobile and China Unicom, the operators who have committed to SIM-based NFC include: America Movil, AT&T, AVEA, Axiata, AXIS, Bharti Airtel, Bouygues Telecom, CSL, Deutsche Telekom, Elisa Corporation, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (du), Etisalat, Everything Everywhere, Globe Telecom, KPN, KT Corporation, Maxis, Mobily, MTS, Orange, Proximus, Qtel Group, Rogers Communications, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), SFR, SK Telecom, Smart, SOFTBANK MOBILE, Telecom Italia, Telecom New Zealand, Telecom Slovenije, Telefonica, Telekom Austria Group, Telenor, TeliaSonera, Telus, TMN, Turkcell, Verizon, VimpelCom, VIVA Bahrain and Vodafone Group. Additionally, ISIS, the organisation formed by AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless to build a nationwide mobile commerce network in the United States, also supports SIM-based NFC.  

"Clearly the momentum behind SIM-based NFC is growing rapidly, particularly with leading operators China Mobile and China Unicom supporting NFC services secured by the SIM card," said Franco Bernabe, Chairman of the GSMA, and CEO and Chairman of Telecom Italia Group. "NFC is an important innovation for consumers around the world, and while it is perhaps best known for enabling secure mobile payments, it will also enable a wide range of innovative and exciting new services and applications, such as mobile ticketing, entertainment services, secure access to hotels or cars, loyalty schemes and couponing, among others."

"China Mobile is able to offer SIM-based NFC on an extremely large scale and we have the experience, the technical infrastructure and trusted customer care network to support and effectively stimulate the market," said Sha Yuejia, Executive Director and Vice President of China Mobile.  

"China Unicom is known for its innovation and we strongly support SIM-based NFC technology that can ensure contactless services are available to our consumers, and will be interoperable and roam effectively wherever the consumer chooses to go," said Lu Yimin, President and Vice Chairman of China Unicom.

The market potential for SIM-based NFC is significant, according to forecasts from industry research firm Strategy Analytics.  Nearly 1.5 billion SIM-based handsets will have been sold worldwide between 2010 and 2016, supporting transactions of more than $50 billion globally over the same period. Further, ABI Research indicates that 85 per cent of all new point of sale terminals shipped in 2016 will be NFC-enabled.  

Ensuring Interoperability to Drive Global Adoption

One of the primary factors that will accelerate the proliferation of mobile NFC is the standardisation of the technology, which allows seamless interoperability between NFC devices and enables users to benefit from services around the world, regardless of mobile operator, network or device type. To that end, the GSMA has published handset and SIM requirements which define common handset application programming interfaces (APIs) to support SIM-based NFC services. Standardised requirements will drive economies of scale in SIM, handsets and infrastructure by creating a common framework for implementation and product interoperability. 

The handset and SIM requirement documents can be found at: http://www.gsmworld.com/our-work/mobile_lifestyle/mobile_money/news_and_resources.htm

"With the increasing deployment of commercial SIM-based NFC services in a range of markets worldwide, it is critical to embrace common standards that will promote the global interoperability of services and accelerate time-to-market," commentedAnne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA.  "Mobile operators, working together, are ideally positioned to roll out services based on the requirements published by the GSMA, providing proven security and interoperability, global reach and customer care for consumers and businesses and a secure platform for service providers."  

The GSMA has commissioned a report to take an in-depth view into the socio-economic benefits that the deployment of SIM-based NFC services will enable, and how collaboration between industries can help make this a reality. This report can be found at http://www.gsmworld.com/our-work/mobile_lifestyle/mobile_money/news_and_resources.htm.

GSMA NFC & Mobile Money Summit 2012

The GSMA also announced that it will host the GSMA NFC & Mobile Money Summit in Milan in October 2012.  The NFC & Mobile Money Summit will bring together key players from every sector of the industry, providing an environment to forge relationships, expand ideas and foster the growth of NFC and mobile money.  Further details will be forthcoming.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Congress.  

For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, atwww.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at http://www.gsmworld.com.

SOURCE GSMA

Discover Card Unveils 2012 Tournament of Roses® Parade Float Design

November 16, 2011 01:13 PM Eastern Time 

Company Celebrates Dreams Coming to Life with “The Dream Believers” Interactive Float

RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Discover Card today unveiled its float design for the 2012 Tournament of Roses^®Parade to be held on Jan. 2, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif. This is Discover’s second year in the Tournament of Roses Parade, which complements its partnership with the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and four-year title sponsorship of the Orange Bowl.

“Discover’s float this year is about empowering and inspiring people of all ages to imagine what they want to accomplish in their lives and to fulfill their dreams”

As the 2011 Grand Marshal award-winner for excellence in creative concept and design, Discover hopes to wow audiences once again with a visually stunning float. In keeping with this year’s Rose Parade^® theme –“Just Imagine…”– Discover is working with Fiesta Parade Floats to design and construct a float entitled “The Dream Believers,” which celebrates the powerful belief that if you can dream it, you can achieve it. The float depicts children peacefully sleeping and dreaming about various professions they aspire to be when they grow up, including a teacher, artist, rock star, doctor, astronaut and firefighter. Standing near each bed is the adult version of the child seeing his/her dream fulfilled. The float will feature entirely organic materials such as coconut, sweet rice, cornhusk, seaweed and a lush garden of more than 20,000 orange roses.

“Discover’s float this year is about empowering and inspiring people of all ages to imagine what they want to accomplish in their lives and to fulfill their dreams,” said Jennifer Murillo, vice president of brand communications at Discover. “We all have dreams and aspirations – who hasn’t wanted to be a rock star at one point in their life? The concept of ‘Just Imagine’ feels very close to home for Discover since we strive to help people achieve a brighter financial future every day.”

As a leader in customer service, Discover also will showcase six members of its customer service team on its float, all of whom are U.S.-based and won their spot on the parade through an internal company contest.

“Discover made a spectacular debut with ‘A State Fair to Remember’ last year, so we’re excited to welcome them back to the 123^rd Rose Parade,” said Rick Jackson, president of the Tournament of Roses Association. "‘The Dream Believers’ is a concept that everyone can relate to, so we know it will fare well with viewers in the grandstand and on television. With rockets blasting, fireworks popping and a rock star singing, viewers are in for a real treat from Discover.”

To share its Rose Parade involvement with customers and parade fans, Discover will continuously update its “March to the Rose Parade” blog, featuring events and activities related to the construction of the company’s float. Visitors can learn about float making and judging criteria, see photos and video of Discover’s float as it comes to life, and post comments on the blog athttp://www.discoveratroseparade.wordpress.com.

Gemalto Wins GSN Homeland Security Award in the US for Best Biometric Identification Device

November 16, 2011 10:00 AM Eastern Time 

Coesys Mobile Enrollment Solution Recognized for Ease of Use and Robustness

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces it has won a Government Security News (GSN) Homeland Security award for its Coesys Mobile Enrollment solution. The award, “Best Biometric Identification Device,” recognizes the all-in-one solution which features all biometric data capture and enrollment technology contained in a robust and easy-to-transport field case.

“Gemalto is honored to be acknowledged by GSN for our advancements in personal identity verification, specifically with regard to biometrics and identity management solutions”

Coesys Enrollment & Issuance solutions combine the software, equipment and integration services for governments to securely capture biometric and biographical data, personalize and issue secure documents such as ePassports, health care and identity cards, as well as driver’s licenses. Coesys offers exclusive security and privacy enhancing features to allow safe and efficient enrollment for any identity management application.

“Gemalto is honored to be acknowledged by GSN for our advancements in personal identity verification, specifically with regard to biometrics and identity management solutions,” said Neville Pattinson, vice president of Government Affairs, Gemalto North America. “Coesys Mobile Enrollment Unit brings the highest levels of trust to identity projects in a portable, convenient package.”

For more information, please visit http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/24684?c=federal_agencies_legislative.

Visa Opens Its Doors to Developers with New Visa Developer Center

November 16, 2011 08:00 AM Eastern Time 

Global leader in payments accelerates pace of innovation; provides developers with unprecedented, secure access to Visa’s global payments platform, including its digital wallet

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In an effort to simplify and accelerate the development and adoption of innovative payment products globally, Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) today announced the launch of its new Visa Developer Centerhttps://developer.visa.com. The primary purpose of the center: to provide approved application developers with easy access to tools needed for the rapid creation and deployment of payment applications.

“The Visa Developer Center ensures that application developers, especially those constructing eCommerce, mobile, and social applications, have access to Visa capabilities, while still maintaining Visa’s industry-leading security standards.”

The new Visa Developer Center offers eCommerce and mobile application developers a pathway to create a seamless online purchase experience for consumers. Whether enabling the purchase of small in-game digital goods, or the latest appliance from a big-box retailer, to enabling purchases with Visa’s new digital wallet, developers now have access to application programming interfaces (APIs), simplified documentation, and software development kits needed to make online shopping with Visa fast, simple, and secure.

“The convergence of web, mobile, and social networks is revolutionizing the way people buy and sell and is driving the creation of new and innovative ways to pay,” said Jim McCarthy, global head of product, Visa Inc. “The Visa Developer Center ensures that application developers, especially those constructing eCommerce, mobile, and social applications, have access to Visa capabilities, while still maintaining Visa’s industry-leading security standards.”

The new Visa Developer Center is a one-of-a-kind resource providing access to the payment expertise, open APIs, and development tools offered by Visa and its subsidiaries, CyberSource, Authorize.Net, and PlaySpan. It will enable eCommerce merchants, financial institutions, mobile network operators, and gaming developers to integrate Visa payment functionality into their product offerings, including:

• Next generation of payment solutions through V.me by Visa –

Visa is taking the first step in making its digital wallet and new acceptance mark available with the launch of developer tools which can be accessed through the Visa Developer Center or at https://www.v.me/. V.me by Visa will offer a secure way for consumers to pay online as well as in person with a PC, tablet, or mobile device using Visa and non-Visa accounts. Designed to support the evolving ways and places people are transacting, V.me will also provide features beyond payments such as transaction alerts and the ability to receive personalized offers triggered in real time. Accessing V.me will be as simple as click-to-buy on a computer, touch-to-buy for a mobile browser, and wave-to-buy for physical point-of-sale NFC transactions.

To accelerate adoption of and support for innovative applications using V.me, Visa is creating an open beta developer program designed initially for eCommerce payment applications. The site (https://developer.v.me/) will enable developers to provision API credentials and access the dedicated sandbox, dynamically generate code samples to insert into applications, create and integrate merchant eCommerce sites (with sandbox testing), and provide simplified web-based documentation.

• Person-to-person payments, domestic and international remittances –

Visa’s new developer center offers easy access to the building blocks that extend person-to-person payment services to include Visa cards. These building blocks include APIs for Visa account validation, currency conversion, transaction initiation, and anti-money laundering tools.

“Working with Visa has enabled consumers using our person-to-person payment products to send money to eligible Visa accounts anywhere -- creating significantly more options for both our financial institution customers and consumers,” said Neil Platt, senior vice president and general manager, payments at CashEdge, now a part of Fiserv. “This capability includes sending money internationally, expanding the reach and value of our person-to-person service.”

• Mobile payments and services –

Providing consumers with a way to make mobile payments and access their financial accounts has become a priority for banks and mobile network operators around the world. The new Visa Developer Center will provide mobile developers with the tools to create applications that transform a mobile phone into a payment or merchant acceptance device.

About Visa

Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency. Underpinning digital currency is one of the world’s most advanced processing networks—VisaNet—that is capable of handling more than 20,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and guaranteed payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa’s innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visitwww.corporate.visa.com.

Proxama Unveils New MasterCard NFC Mobile Payment Reference Kit

Published on Nov 16, 2011

Leading provider of mobile wallet technology, Proxama, will be unveiling its MasterCard NFC mobile contactless payment reference kit, at the Cartes conference in Paris later this week.

The kit will enable organisations to run a number of different payment option tests to view typical user payment journeys, understand how a payment application behaves and test compatibility. Users of the kit will be able to test variants of payments procedures, to include the different levels of payment authentication that can be employed such as ‘Always require PIN’ and ‘Pre-transaction verification’.

The reference kit consists of a Samsung Galaxy S phone pre-installed with a special version of Proxama's NFC mobile wallet software, five card profiles each representing one of MasterCard's (inc. Maestro) most popular worldwide card products and MasterCard’s terminal simulator software with a contactless card reader. It will be available for purchase by any MasterCard member or technology partner who wishes test the interaction between an NFC handset and a payment terminal.

James Anderson, senior vice president of mobile and emerging payments, MasterCard, said: “During 2011, MasterCard deployed Mobile PayPass commercially in multiple markets.  We see high levels of activity going forward and want to support our partners with practical assistance to accelerate their plans and continue to deliver great consumer and merchant experiences.  The reference kit that has been developed by Proxama is a valuable tool to support the testing and visualization of mobile payments solutions”.

Companies using the kit will be able to establish exactly what development requirements they need to employ to be ready for market and to demonstrate to internal stakeholders the value of NFC contactless payments.

Neil Garner, CEO, Proxama says: "Everyone knows that NFC payments are coming but, up until now, have had no way of visualizing or testing it. With our unique kit, vendors and card issuers will now be able to see for themselves how NFC contactless payments will impact on their customers and what they will need to do to make the most of this new transactional interaction. Having the MasterCard applets in the kit means that users will have the confidence that they are running tests with products that are being used worldwide from a global payments leader. Being able to visualize the mobile payment experience will help business strategists and cards teams to drive the business discussions internally with stakeholders and senior management. This cost-effective solution is one that we will be showcasing at Cartes, which will, I’m sure, spark a number of interesting discussions."

When using the kit with one of the cards installed, an image of the card itself will be displayed on-screen and users will be able to tap the handset to rotate the image to reveal the rear and tap’n’hold the image to get the card details up on screen.**

VeriFone NFC-Enabled Mobile Solution Wins Prestigious SESAME Award

PRESS RELEASE

Nov. 15, 2011, 3:06 p.m. EST

PAYware Mobile Enterprise Recognized for Securely Enabling Smartphones and Tablets to Accept Both Traditional and Alternative Forms of Payment

PARIS, Nov 15, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- VeriFone Systems, Inc. PAY -0.45% today announced that it was awarded the prestigious SESAME 2011 award in e-Transactions at the CARTES & IDentification trade show today.

The SESAMES Awards honor the best technological innovations in terms of digital security and smart technology and are the world reference for the payment industry. PAYware Mobile Enterprise is a secure mobile card acceptance solution that integrates with existing in-store POS systems and works with all forms of electronic payment including magnetic stripe, chip and PIN, NFC-enabled handset and contactless cards. The solution also incorporates VeriShield Protect card data encryption and a bar code scanner to provide retailers with a secure solution for mobile POS and other applications.

"Industry analysts expect sales of mobile retail systems based on mobile phones and tablets to surge in the coming years and PAYware Mobile Enterprise is a key element of any merchant's mobile retail strategy," said Paul Rasori, VeriFone senior vice president of marketing. "We are building an infrastructure to securely apply the power of mobile to the world of retail and payments. Our solutions extend new smartphone- and tablet-based shopping and payment experiences to retail organizations."

PAYware Mobile Enterprise is one of several key elements in VeriFone's mobile retail strategy, which includes the recent acquisition of Global Bay Mobile Technologies, which works with retailers across North America, Europe and Asia to increase sales and improve customer satisfaction with mobile applications that leverage existing POS, e-commerce, and traditional store systems. The Global Bay solution, coupled with VeriFone's secure mobile payment technology, offers the retailer an unparalleled, comprehensive and integrated suite of mobile applications that transform the in-store retail experience.

Additional Resources: www.verifone.com/pwm-enterprise

Mercator Advisory Group: Rattling the Value Chain: The Effects of New Regulations on Open-Loop Prepaid Programs

Report Examines Recent Regulatory Changes and Their Effects in the Prepaid Value Chain

Boston, MA -- In new research, Rattling The Value Chain: The Effects of New Regulations on Open-Loop Prepaid Programs, Mercator reviews recent regulatory changes that have shaken up the open-loop prepaid industry. The new regulations have affected all the companies that work together to operate prepaid programs, and this report explores new issues they will face.

The goal of this report is to help prepaid card companies all along the value chain make sense of the new regulatory environment. As Mercator examined existing programs in light of the new regulations, common issues were uncovered as well as others that were specific to different companies involved and the features and functions offered by the programs.

To uncover how the industry can make sense of the new regulatory environment, the report starts with a review of three recent regulatory developments, and then discusses ways in which they might affect the different companies in the prepaid value chain.

Highlights of this report include:

The three recent regulatory actions have shifted the landscape for open-loop prepaid cards.

How these regulatory actions will change the way that the members of the prepaid value chain relate to one another.

The new costs, business model alterations, and restrictions that will come with implementing the rules of the Durbin Amendment.

New requirements, including more reporting and record keeping, resulting from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) final rules.

Steps financial institutions must implement to comply with the OCC guidance.

"This past summer was a rough one for the prepaid industry in terms of regulations affecting open-loop prepaid. The closed-loop side of prepaid has faced its own regulatory troubles with the rules implementing the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009. Now, it is open-loop card companies that need to take time with dense government regulatory documents to determine what to do next," says Ben Jackson, senior analyst of Mercator Advisory Group's Prepaid Advisory Service.

One of five exhibits in this report:

This report is 28 pages long and has five exhibits.

Companies mentioned in this report include: American Express Inc., Billeo, Inc., Green Dot Corp., Mango Financial Inc., and NetSpend Holdings Inc.

Members of Mercator Advisory Group's Prepaid Advisory Service have access to this report as well as the upcoming research for the year ahead, presentations, analyst access and other membership benefits.

Please visit us online at www.mercatoradvisorygroup.com.

For more information and media inquiries, please call Mercator Advisory Group's main line: (781) 419-1700, send E-mail toinfo@mercatoradvisorygroup.com.

For free industry news, opinions, research, company information and more visit us atwww.PaymentsJournal.com.

Payair Rolls Out US QR Mobile Payment Services

NEW YORK, November 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Payair is pleased to announce agreement with an experienced team of business development and technology leaders to serve as the exclusive, branded provider in the United States of Payair's suite of mobile payment solutions.

With PayAir, customers can complete the mobile buying process in less than 10 seconds, by taking just three simple steps: 1) Open the Payair App on your mobile phone and point your camera to a Quick Response (QR) or bar code for automated product identification; 2) Self-check-out and approve your purchase with a secret pin code; and 3) Confirm payment from your debit or credit card of choice.

The Payair application runs on almost all smart phones, including iPhones and Androids. Additionally, Payair is a more secure solution, with a certified process layered with encryption, for a safer shopping experience. Payair's "card in a cloud solution" makes it possible to carry debit and credit cards on your phone without storing sensitive data. For shop owners, Payair offers a "quick to integrate solution" that runs both in physical and e-commerce channels.

"We focus on simplifying and accelerating the checkout process. Payair has demonstrated that it can improve  and customize the shopping experience - saving both the customer and merchant time and money - across a wide variety of shopping experiences. With Payair's proven, powerful solutions now achieving global recognition, this is the right time to bring Payair to the US market. We are confident that we have formed the right strategic alliances in the United States to make this happen" - said Staffan Ljung, CEO, Payair.

Payair has been "live" since 2010. Thousands of users have signed up to use and benefit from Payair technology. Launched in partnership with Scandinavia's and the Baltic's leading merchant bank, Swedbank, Payair continues to add significant new customers daily. Just a month ago, Payair acquired its first $100+ Million retail merchant, Webhallen, and empowered Webhallen customers to purchase electronic and other products with mobile phones.

"Payair US is excited to introduce Payair solutions into the United States. Feedback from existing customers and merchants has been overwhelmingly positive. Payair's banking community and retail industry partners have recognized the value-add created by Payair technology, working within existing transaction and financial systems, to reduce expenses, increase margins, retain existing customers and acquire new ones. We expect Payair to quickly become a US industry leading provider of mobile payment solutions" - said Solon Kandel, CEO, Payair US.

About Payair

Payair is a mobile payment services innovator and industry leader, offering breakthrough technology for a superior shopping experience. Payair provides smart phone users with a free, downloadable App to quickly, conveniently and more securely buy products and services from the Internet, as well as in retail, restaurant, entertainment and other shopping environments. In as little as 10 seconds, customers can put an item in their shopping cart, self-check-out and pay with their preferred credit or debit card. Payair's proprietary architecture is more secure, with multiple layers of encryption and sensitive data stored away from the phone. Also, since Payair technology operates independent of the merchant's business platform, merchants can commercially implement the Payair payment system in as little as two days, without expensive new hardware. For more information:http://www.payair.com

Payair US is the exclusive United States branded provider of Payair mobile phone payment technology and its suite of solutions. For more information on how your business or customers can enjoy the benefits of Payair in the US, please contact us: info-US@payair.com.

SOURCE Payair AB

INSIDE Secure Innovation Adds NFC Functionality to Legacy Mobile Phones Using SIM Card

November 15, 2011 06:00 AM Eastern Time 

Breakthrough Technology Enables Small Antenna, High Performance NFC Solutions for Mobile Phones

CARTES & IDentification 2011

Booth 4L 022 in Hall 4

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--INSIDE Secure today announced a major technology innovation that allows an NFC card emulation solution to fit into a standard SIM card form factor and still achieve industry-standard 4cm proximity transaction performance. The INSIDE technology innovation is able to achieve this groundbreaking performance even when operating from inside a mobile phone by significantly reducing the effects of the metals and electrical noise typically found within these devices.

“This breakthrough technology provides a means of bringing NFC services to markets that might otherwise not be immediately reachable through smart phone sales, such as in Brazil, India and African countries, or for any market with a large installed base of legacy mobile phones.”

The patented INSIDE core technology is part of an initiative that will allow the company to bring multiple new NFC products to market in 2012 and 2013, both directly and with key strategic partners. This core technology creates significant improvements over conventional NFC core technology, enabling 4cm or greater contactless read distance in a mobile device with an antenna footprint of less than 1cm2. A technology demonstration is being presented for the first time during the CARTES & IDentification 2011 conference and exhibition being held here this week.

“INSIDE Secure is again demonstrating its leadership in the NFC market by providing a core enabling technology that will enable multiple new end products in SIM and microSD form-factors for use in legacy mobile devices, accelerating the adoption of NFC card emulation use cases within the currently deployed mobile phone market,” said Charles Walton, chief operating officer at INSIDE Secure. “This breakthrough technology provides a means of bringing NFC services to markets that might otherwise not be immediately reachable through smart phone sales, such as in Brazil, India and African countries, or for any market with a large installed base of legacy mobile phones.”

For the demonstration, a standard SIM card containing the INSIDE core technology chip, a secure element and an antenna that measures a scant 5 x 10 mm will be inserted into the SIM slots of selected legacy phones from leading handset makers. These mobile devices will then be used to demonstrate NFC contactless transaction performance with a reader device. Despite the antenna’s diminutive size, the phones containing the INSIDE solution will able to communicate with contactless readers, just like standard ISO 14443 contactless smart cards used in U.S. contactless payment deployments.

While the demonstration at CARTES utilizes a SIM card, the INSIDE Secure core technology may be embedded into other form-factor devices and integrated with other mobile device components.

“Until now, no one has been able to place a complete NFC solution, including antenna, into a SIM card, insert it into a mobile phone and have it perform well,” said Bruno Charrat, chief innovation officer, at INSIDE Secure. “The patented INSIDE innovation enables the creation of new products with very small antennas, less than one square centimeter, making feasible the commercial introduction of NFC enablement products using the SIM form factor as well as other inserted or embedded solutions.”

The potential market for products based on the patented INSIDE core technology is substantial. Many market analysts believe the total number of mobile phones in use worldwide is fast approaching six billion.

Commercial products based on this INSIDE core technology are expected to be available in the latter part of 2012. INSIDE will be starting discussions with prospective product partners during CARTES this week, and will be extending a partnership program structure in the new year. As products based on this INSIDE technology are launched and used in feature phones and smartphones, developers will be able to create applications that provide an interactive exchange between the user and an NFC payment or other application.

INSIDE is demonstrating this NFC innovation in booth 4L 022 in Hall 4 of the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center during the CARTES & IDentification 2011 conference and exhibition.

About INSIDE Secure

INSIDE Secure is a leading designer, developer and supplier of semiconductors, embedded software and platforms for secure transactions and digital security. INSIDE mobile NFC, secure payment and digital security products provide security for a wide range of information processing, storage and transmission applications. The company’s customers are found in a wide range of markets including mobile payment, identification documents, access control, transit, electronic device manufacturing, pay television and mobile service operators. For more information, visit www.insidesecure.com.

HID Global’s World Class iCLASS SE™ and Secure Identity Object Technology Wins Prestigious SESAME Award at CARTES 2011

November 15, 2011 02:01 AM Eastern Time 

Industry’s First Platform for Embedding Secure Identities into NFC Smartphones and other Devices is Recognized as Industry’s Most Innovative Solution of The Year

CARTES & IDentification 2011

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HID Global, trusted leader in solutions for the delivery of secure identity, today announced itsSecure Identity Object™ (SIO) technology has won a CARTES & IDentification 2011 SESAME award for the most innovative solution of the year. The company’s SIO technology operates within the Trusted Identity Platform® (TIP™) that enables digital credentials to be securely embedded into a variety of trusted devices, including Near Field Communications (NFC) mobile phones and related devices. To accommodate evolving security challenges, SIO technology also provides users with the ability to dynamically increase security levels via simple firmware updates to efficiently address future changes in requirements as they occur.

“This recognition further validates our industry-leading Secure Identity Object technology and our Trusted Identity Platform, along with HID Global’s ability to deliver what organizations are seeking today with NFC fueling new ways of thinking about secure identity.”

“HID Global is extremely honored to have been chosen by the SESAME awards committee for this distinctive award,” said Denis Hébert, president and CEO with HID Global. “This recognition further validates our industry-leading Secure Identity Object technology and our Trusted Identity Platform, along with HID Global’s ability to deliver what organizations are seeking today with NFC fueling new ways of thinking about secure identity.”

The company’s SIO technology entry was one of 317 SESAME award submissions received from leading manufacturers, integrators and developers in the card industry worldwide. In its 16^th consecutive year, the SESAME awards represent an unchallenged seal of approval in innovation and are regarded as the global standard for card manufacturers and related industries.

HID Global is demonstrating its SIO technology at CARTES & IDentification 2011 in Hall 3, Stand F002 at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center from 15th November to 17th, 2011.

Technical Details

HID Global's SIO technology on the credential side and the SIO Processor™ on the reader side perform similar functions to traditional cards and readers, except they use a standards-based, technology-independent and flexible identity data structure that provides a new level of security, portability and performance. SIO digital credentials operate within HID Global's Trusted Identity Platform (TIP) framework, which is designed to support a secure and trusted boundary for cryptographic key delivery in SIO technology-based applications.

The TIP framework facilitates secure provisioning of SIO digital credentials on a variety of credential platforms, including mobile devices, no matter where users are located or how they are connected. SIO digital credentials also support data authenticity and privacy while inhibiting data cloning. These SIO digital credentials features enable the SIO-enabled platform to improve security in traditional card and reader applications while enabling new market opportunities for carrying secure portable credentials on NFC smart phones and other devices.

About HID Global

HID Global is the trusted source for secure identity solution for millions of customers around the world. Recognized for robust quality, innovative designs and industry leadership, HID Global is the supplier of choice for OEMs, system integrators, and application developers serving a variety of markets. These markets include physical and logical access control, including strong authentication and credential management; card printing and personalization; highly secure government ID; and identification technologies used in animal ID and industry and logistics applications. The company's primary brands include HID®, ActivIdentity®, FARGO®, and LaserCard®. Headquartered in Irvine, California, HID Global has over 2,100 employees worldwide and operates international offices that support more than 100 countries. HID Global is an ASSA ABLOY Group brand. For more information, visit www.hidglobal.com.