STOCKHOLM, Sweden-Swedish operator Telia partnered with ForeningsSparbanken, a Swedish banking group, to develop secure solutions for payment, bank and e-commerce services using mobile phones. Telia said a series of applications, including the ability to check purchases and balances on accounts, make credit and debit card purchases, and make payments via an Internet bank and order a range of services, will be launched.
The technology includes public key infrastructure digital signatures for mobile applications. ForeningsSparbanken will take responsibility for the payment and authentication processes, while Telia handles the mobile telephony platform, special subscriber identity module cards and PKI certification. SmarTrust provides the security system for the pilot operation covering credit and debit card transactions, which began in the fourth quarter of 2000.
A number of users are testing the system prototype. In the second quarter of 2001, the pilot operation will be expanded to cover several thousand users and will include more applications. The national launch is scheduled for the second half of 2001.
The companies plan to market the solution to other banks and mobile carriers.
Telia said at the beginning of next year, electronic signatures will be regulated by law in Sweden, which means that digital signatures will be binding.
