GSMA Mobile Connect now available to two billion people globally
The GSM Association (GSMA) has announced that its mobile-based authentication solution, Mobile Connect, is now available to two billion consumers globally.
Since its introduction at Mobile World Congress 2014, the universal log in solution Mobile Connect which employs phone numbers to allow users log in to multiple platforms without the need to remember passwords, has been launched in 21 countries by 34 mobile network operators, with plans for additional launches and trials globally.
The GSMA’s Mobile Connect solution enables users to create and manage a universal identity for log-ins, by which they can confirm their identity digitally and get mobile access to digital services such as e-commerce, banking, health and digital entertainment, and e-government, via their mobile phones.
Operators offering services based on Mobile Connect are said to now include AméricaMóvil, Axiata Group (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka), China Mobile, China Mobile Pakistan (Zong), China Telecom, China Unicom, DNA, Elisa, Globe Telecom, IndosatOoredoo, Mobilink, Mobitel, Orange (Egypt, France, Morocco, Spain), Sunrise, Swisscom (Switzerland), Telefónica Group (Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Spain), Telenor Group (Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand), TeliaSonera (Finland), Telkomsel, Telstra, TIM and Turkcell (Turkey).
According to a statement by the GSMA, it is working closely with operators globally, to further extend the adoption of Mobile Connect. Operators committed to deliver the service in 2016 include Aircel, AIS Thailand, Bharti Airtel (India), Etisalat (Pakistan, United Arab Emirates), Idea Cellular Ltd, MTN, Ooredoo (Algeria, Myanmar), Orange (Jordan, Poland), SMART Axiata – Cambodia, Smart Communications, Inc., Tata Teleservices, Telefónica Group (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay), Telenor (India), T-Mobile Poland and Vodafone (India, Spain).
The service has also been trialled in two EU Member States: Finland and Spain.
GSMA says Mobile Connect is evolving to add context and attributes about users and their transactions, to increase convenience, trust and security for users and service providers, while respecting users’ privacy, and this is currently being trialled in the UK by O2 and Vodafone.
By Emmanuel Odonkor