AT&T Helps Businesses Improve Mobile Transaction Security With New Mobile Identity API Toolkit

DALLAS, Dec. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* today announced the availability of  a new application programming interface (API) toolkit that can help businesses make mobile transactions safer and easier for AT&T mobile subscribers. The toolkit allows businesses to automate fraud avoidance queries and the completion of basic forms for subscribers during transactions.

Security is a major concern among people who want to use their phones for mobile banking and m-commerce. According to a Federal Reserve Bank survey, while nearly half of smartphone owners in the U.S. have used mobile banking in the past 12 months, concerns about the security of the technology were the second most common reason given for not using mobile banking.¹

When an AT&T mobile subscriber uses their mobile device to transact business with a merchant that is using the toolkit, the service automatically and almost instantly performs a fraud avoidance query to confirm that the device being used by the subscriber is authenticated to AT&T's mobile network. If confirmed, the mobile user can opt-in to a feature that allows automatic population of electronic forms with basic information such as name, address, phone and email information. This feature simplifies the registration process and can reduce drop-off rates for new customers. The service completes these tasks in seconds.

"As consumers use their mobile devices for more and more aspects of daily life, including online banking and m-commerce, they want assurances that these services are as secure as possible," said Laura Merling, Vice President of Ecosystem Development and Platform Solutions, AT&T. "Tapping into the intelligence of the AT&T network as a trusted authenticator for mobile identity not only makes these services more secure, but also easier to use. We see this as the opportunity to realize one of the biggest promises of APIs for businesses."

Businesses interested in using the toolkit can contact the AT&T Enterprise API Program.

AT&T's Outstanding Network

The great performance of AT&T's fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network** continues to be validated by independent third-party testing:

• AT&T now has the most reliable 4G LTE network according to our analysis of data from Nielsen.²
• Meanwhile, our 4G LTE service was recognized as having faster average download and upload speeds than any of our competitors in PCWorld/TechHive's most recent 20-market speed tests – the second consecutive year that AT&T has ranked 1st overall.  PCWorld/TechHive also ranked AT&T's as the fastest combination of 3G and 4G services in the 20 cities it tested.³
• And AT&T was named America's fastest 4G LTE network  in PC Magazine's 2013 Fastest Mobile Networks 30-market study – and also swept the top rankings in all six U.S. regions from coast to coast: Northeast, Southeast, North-Central, South-Central, Northwest and Southwest.⁴

In addition, RootMetrics® has awarded AT&T for strongest overall call, text, and data performance in multiple markets in the most recent 2013 testing.⁵

¹ Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, March 2013, 'Consumers and Mobile Financial Services 2013' http://www.federalreserve.gov/econresdata/consumers-and-mobile-financial-services-report-201303.pdf

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**4G LTE speed claim based on national carriers' average 4G LTE download speeds.

² AT&T's 4G LTE Reliability claim based on analysis of data network connection and data transaction success rates reported by Nielsen during network tests conducted across 225 markets from Nov. 2012 to Nov. 2013, and compares carriers with nationwide 4G LTE networks.

³ PCWorld/TechHive, May 23, 2013, "AT&T clocks best overall speeds with 3G/4G combo"

⁴ PC Magazine, June 17, 2013; http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2420333,00.asp

⁵ Based on the most recent RootScore® Report for each of the 125 U.S. markets tested in 2013. Performance rankings of 4 national mobile networks rely on scores calculated from random samples. Visit rootmetrics.com for more details. Your experience may vary. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of AT&T.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV service with the AT&T U-verse^® brand. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/aboutus or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.

© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

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