GSMA Trials Mobile Identity Solution At Mobile World Congress

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LONDON, Feb. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced that, building on the success of the Mobile World Congress NFC Badge in 2013, customers of Bouygues Telecom, Bharti Airtel, Dialog, Du, Etisalat, KT Corp., Orange, Tata and Telstra can further streamline their entry to Mobile World Congress by participating in a trial that uses their mobile operator credentials to confirm their identity.

The NFC Badge identity validation process checks simple information held by an operator, such as name and telephone number, and combines this with an automated photo ID check. This process will confirm the attendee's identity and enable validation of the NFC Badge before the attendee arrives at the event. Pre-validation of the NFC Badge via mobile, will eliminate the need for having to show identity documents for entry into Fira Gran Via.

"At Mobile World Congress we are focused on not only showcasing the latest in mobile technology, but also using it to enhance the attendee experience," said Michael O'Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. "By using this new mobile operator identity solution, eligible attendees can pre-validate their NFC Badge, and pass through venue access points without having to repeatedly show photo ID. We're excited about the possibilities that this solution opens up and are pleased to be working with leading mobile operators to enable this feature for their customers."

To use the mobile identity capabilities to pre-validate the NFC Badges, qualified customers of the participating operators listed above should:

• Register for Mobile World Congress;
• Download the GSMA Mobile App;
• Log in to the NFC Badge in the app; and
• Follow the in-app validation instructions.

Once all of the identity validation steps are completed and verified, the NFC Badge is activated and the attendee can enter Mobile World Congress at Fira Gran Via without having to present photo ID onsite.  The GSMA has worked with Apigee to deliver this additional functionality for both Android and iOS operating systems. Apigee is providing the underlying API platform that enables the secure sharing of operator identity information as well as cross-operator interoperability via the GSMA OneAPI Exchange.

For iPhone users to experience NFC services, a limited number of free Cashwrap NFC-enabled cases for iPhone 4, 4s, 5 and 5s models are available on a first come first serve basis from Mobile World Congress Supporting Sponsor Incipio. When a case is attached to an iPhone, and with the GSMA Mobile App downloaded and open on the handset, the NFC Badge can be used to enter the event and participate in other NFC Experience activities at Mobile World Congress.  Attendees whose operators are not participating in the NFC Badge mobile identity validation trial will need to provide photo ID onsite.

Get Involved at Mobile World Congress 2014
For more information on the 2014 Mobile World Congress including how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress (#MWC14) on Twitter @GSMA or on Facebook www.facebook.com/mobileworldcongress. 

The Mobile World Congress is the cornerstone of the Mobile World Capital, which will be hosted in Barcelona from 2013 to 2018. The Mobile World Capital encompasses programmes and activities that span the entire year and will benefit not only the citizens of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, but also the worldwide mobile industry. For more information on the Mobile World Capital, visit www.mobileworldcapital.com.  

About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. 

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

SOURCE GSMA