HELSINKI, Finland-Hoping to make e-commerce a little safer, Sonera SmartTrust Ltd. announced a deal with Gemplus to market a Global System for Mobile communications Subscriber Identity Module card that will feature digital signature and Public Key encryption.
The SIM card is expected to be available during the first half of this year.
The service will use Sonera’s secure digital signature and encryption technology that, according to the company, will create acceptance for using wireless devices for serious business transactions such as banking and buying and selling stocks.
“Sonera SmartTrust technology enables the use of tamper-proof digital signatures and 1024 bit RSA-algorithm for data encryption, which is vital for doing business in the wireless environment,” said Harri Vatanen, chief executive officer and president of Sonera. “Combined with Gemplus’ impressive track record and expertise in the field, we are bound to see a significant growth in wireless e-commerce. With its strong presence in the global marketplace and an impressive list of mobile operator partners, Gemplus is an ideal partner for Sonera SmartTrust to boost the growth of secure wireless e-commerce.”
Sonera expects the early adopters of the new technology to be banks, other financial institutions and stock brokerages.
“Following its success in wireless applications from basic authentication devices to platforms, the smart cards are now working toward e-commerce solutions in the wireless environment,” said Phillipe Martineau, vice president of the Next Generation Group at Gemplus. “Our Public Key enabled SIM will make secure e-commerce transactions over wireless networks a reality with new technology provided by Sonera SmartTrust.”
