The GSMA has announced that leading Sri Lankan operators Dialog Axiata and Mobitel will launch a beta trial of the GSMA Mobile Connect service that will allow consumers to conveniently, securely and consistently access a wide array of digital services by using their smartphones and feature phones as devices for authentication. Once its made available in June, participating subscribers will enjoy some of the Sri Lankan largest consumer online retail sites including Kapruka, MyDeal and WoW.
The world’s leading SIM technology providers, including Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient, Morpho, Oberthur Technologies, and VALID, are working with operators and the GSMA to develop authentication applets that can be downloaded over the air using SMS, a step that will facilitate the rapid rollout of Mobile Connect services on a global basis.
According to a statement by GSMA, the Sri Lankan launch marks a first implementation of the Mobile Connect service anywhere in the world and demonstrates interoperability of services across operators, and with the support of major SIM technology providers paves the way for further launches of the Mobile Connect service over the next year. In addition, Etisalat Group is expected to launch Mobile Connect services in the third quarter of 2014, and, in line with their commitments to providing customers with the highest possible level of security, Orange intends to provide Mobile Connect-based solutions across Europe and Africa and the Middle East by 2015. Ooredoo is also aiming to provide similar services in South East Asia in the same time frame.
"Consumers are increasingly concerned over the security of their digital identity and mobile operators are ideally positioned to enable consumers to manage this by ensuring they can interact and access services in a private, trusted and secure way. Both the trial and the support of the major SIM technology providers are important steps as the industry works in cooperation to accelerate and establish a consistent and standardised set of services for managing digital authentication and identity globally.”
- Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA
“Dialog Axiata is honoured to be a partner in this first beta launch of GSMA Mobile Connect, alongside Mobitel and leading service providers from Sri Lanka’s digital services eco-system. Through this trial we intend to actively demonstrate the power and convenience of a trusted digital authentication method, centred on the mobile phone. Dialog and the Axiata Group are collectively committed to further innovation in mobile digital identity and look forward to playing a lead role in the evolution of this inclusive and consumer friendly alternative to web-based authentication technology.”
- Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata, Sri Lanka and Axiata Group Digital Services
