HID Global announced its plans to support the company’s
iCLASS digital keys and mobile secure identity on NFC-enabled BlackBerry
smartphones.
The new BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 and BlackBerry Curve
9350/9360 smartphones activated with iCLASS digital credentials will be
compatible with the large installed base of iCLASS readers that are used for
applications ranging from physical access systems in buildings, to student IDs,
to applications that track time and attendance.
HID Global
will be previewing iCLASS digital keys and mobile identity credentials using
the Near Field Communications (NFC) capabilities of the BlackBerry Bold 9900
smartphone at the ASIS International 2011 security conference, September 19-22,
at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. In addition,
representatives from HID Global and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM)
will be speaking about this new platform at ASIS.
This industry first is an important milestone in the
deployment of mobile access and identity solutions using NFC technology on
smartphones,” said Tam Hulusi, senior vice president of strategic innovation
with HID Global.
We will continue to innovate in the delivery of secure identity,
as NFC-enabled smartphones represent a complementary new platform that we
believe will expand the access control market and our online card services
business while improving user security and convenience,” Hulusi added.
Instead of using keys or smartcards, BlackBerry
smartphone users will be able to use iCLASS digital credentials that can be
presented for authentication by simply holding their NFC-enabled BlackBerry
smartphone in front of a reader, just like they do today with a physical iCLASS
smartcard.
NFC technology will enable many new and exciting
capabilities for BlackBerry smartphones and we are very pleased to be working
with HID Global to be the first to bring a host of secure identity and mobile
access control capabilities to NFC-enabled smartphones,” said Andrew Bocking,
vice president, Handheld Software Product Management at RIM.
Pilots using BlackBerry smartphones activated with iCLASS
digital credentials will be conducted this year. HID Global expects that its
embedded iCLASS technology will be generally available for the BlackBerry Bold
9900/9930 and BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360 smartphones in early 2012.
HID Global recently announced Simon Siew has joined HID Global as the managing director, Identity and Access Management of Asia Pacific
(APAC).
By Telecomlead.com Team
editor@telecomlead.com
