- Email: [email protected]
Datakey 4Q results slip
events from the old to the new card. In order to protect the user’s privacy, no user data is saved to the terminal after the process is completed. These type of product seem to be in demand. In January 2003, Taylor Nelson Sofres, a market information group, carried out 333 face-to-face interviews among heavy mobile phone users in four European countries to judge the popular feeling towards changing SIM cards. Having to re-enter their phonebook was seen as a barrier to SIM migration by 75% of European heavy mobile users. However, with a device that copies across personal data, 84% would be prepared to move to a new SIM to benefit from new services, the study showed. Contact: Jane Strachey at Gemplus, Tel +33 442 36 46 61, email: [email protected] Wais Wasiri at Oberthur Card Systems, Tel : + 33 6 10 63 01 60, email: [email protected]
SIM-based innovations abound at French show The 3GSM World Congress in France last month was jam packed with new technology taking advantage of the power of the SIM and offering ways for the new generation of 3G phones and USIM cards to be deployed and managed. Not to mention a host of practical applications for network operators to offer end users. Many innovations are covered in detail in other news stories in this month’s newsletter; this brief story rounds up some of the other noteworthy telecoms news: •
•
Giesecke & Devrient launched UniverSIM Master, a software tool that allows network operators to read, modify and download any accessible file on both GSM and 3G cards. (U)SIM engineers will be able to use the product to modify pre-configured cards, while a point-of-sale version will allow sales staff in shops to diagnose card problems or download data. All common files located in the Master File, the Application Dedicated Files or the Dedicated Files can be displayed and edited in either plain text or hexadecimal code. ID Data launched its SIMgenuity FlexMenu, a solution that can deliver network features and SIM updates direct to the end user overthe-air. Features include a ready-made menu solution with up to 200 services and the availability of a SIM Tookit option for advanced customers. In addition the supplier launched its SMS Translation
Card Technology Today March 2003
•
product, which translates non-European (UCS 2 coded) into European characters. Gemplus, Apeera, Digital Bridges and esmertec demonstrated a technology for securing distributed Java applications, powered by a GSM/GPRS solution from Agere Systems. The solution has a number of benefits. Primarily it enables mobile Java applications to be securely managed, enabled or disabled through the SIM card. However, the distribution of applications between different end-users can also be controlled and therefore billed for by the mobile operator. This type of peer-to-peer distribution infrastructure could significantly enhance the Java application distribution. The solution uses the GemXplore ‘Xpresso Java SIM card, the GemConnect OTA platform, esmertec’s java virtual machine Jbed ME, a Java-enabled handset with an Agere chipset and the application management solution from Apeera.
Contact: Bernd Filsinger at ID Data Systems, Tel: +44 7974 928282, email: [email protected] Jane Strachey at Gemplus, Tel +33 442 36 46 61, email: [email protected]
corporate news
Datakey 4Q results slip Datakey, a developer of smart card technology for securing e-business, has reported a sharp drop in its revenue figures for the fourth quarter of 2002, ended 31 December. Revenue was US$1,507,000, down 45% on the US$2,749,000 made in the same period of 2001. Meanwhile, the company also slipped into the red in the fourth quarter, registering a loss of US$761,000 compared with a net profit of US$88,000 in the same year-earlier period. The annual picture was not so severe, but also showed a drop in performance, with revenue falling 7% to US$7,257,000 from US$7,815,000 in 2001. Net losses for the year came in at US$2,668,000 compared with US$2,006,000 in 2001. Despite the lower annual revenue, which the company attributes to a material decrease in the dollar value, there was a substantial increase in new pilot programs (23) and pilots converted to production (10), the company noted in its annual results. Contact: Alan Shuler at Datacard, Tel: +1 952 808 2349, email: [email protected]
in brief • Pace Integration is to issue more than 4,000 smart cards and its SmarterSkills Credentialing System to the ParkersburgMarietta Contractors and Trades Education and Development Fund. The cards will be issued to the Fund’s union membership to eliminate the need for workers to carry their various trade credentials, safety training and health test paperwork to jobsites. Key information from the paperwork, such as issue dates, expiration dates and certificate numbers are securely stored on the smart card. The new system will eventually be introduced to the contractors and owners. • LEGIC Identsystems, a provider of contactless smart card platforms, is to launch an RFID system that is compliant with various different ISO standards, such as ISO 15693 and ISO 14443. The product line is targeted at high volume smart card projects, such as ticketing, government solutions and general access control. • Oberthur Card Systems has partnered with Maya Software Technologies to produce a VPN solution aimed at mobile network operators’ corporate clients. Maya’s VPN solution is based on the Oberthur SIMphonIC JavaCard platform, and offers a SIM-based VPN service that gives corporate users a secure connection to their company’s network through their palmtops or high-end phones. • Hynix Semiconductor has introduced a commercially applicable Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM). FeRAM is a non-volatile, low power, high-density and high speed memory ideal for the next-generation mobile and ‘System on Chip’ applications. The memory will be introduced in 4Mb and 8Mb densities and will be manufactured on 0.25 µm process technology. The company expects rapid market penetration of FeRAM in mobile and multimedia applications including smart cards, handsets, PDA’s and smart phones. • AXCESS has launched new range of wireless ID cards with a reading range of up to eight feet. The company says the new ActiveTag long-range radio frequency identification (RFID) technology could help eliminating bottlenecks at building entrance points and high traffic security checkpoints. A small battery and circuitry are embedded directly into a standard card form factor, such as a smart card, enabling wireless transmissions for automatic recognition of cardholders and local tracking capability.
7
SIM-based innovations abound at French show The 3GSM World Congress in France last month was jam packed with new technology taking advantage of the power of the SIM and offering ways for the new generation of 3G phones and USIM cards to be deployed and managed. Not to mention a host of practical applications for network operators to offer end users. Many innovations are covered in detail in other news stories in this month’s newsletter; this brief story rounds up some of the other noteworthy telecoms news: •
•
Giesecke & Devrient launched UniverSIM Master, a software tool that allows network operators to read, modify and download any accessible file on both GSM and 3G cards. (U)SIM engineers will be able to use the product to modify pre-configured cards, while a point-of-sale version will allow sales staff in shops to diagnose card problems or download data. All common files located in the Master File, the Application Dedicated Files or the Dedicated Files can be displayed and edited in either plain text or hexadecimal code. ID Data launched its SIMgenuity FlexMenu, a solution that can deliver network features and SIM updates direct to the end user overthe-air. Features include a ready-made menu solution with up to 200 services and the availability of a SIM Tookit option for advanced customers. In addition the supplier launched its SMS Translation
Card Technology Today March 2003
•
product, which translates non-European (UCS 2 coded) into European characters. Gemplus, Apeera, Digital Bridges and esmertec demonstrated a technology for securing distributed Java applications, powered by a GSM/GPRS solution from Agere Systems. The solution has a number of benefits. Primarily it enables mobile Java applications to be securely managed, enabled or disabled through the SIM card. However, the distribution of applications between different end-users can also be controlled and therefore billed for by the mobile operator. This type of peer-to-peer distribution infrastructure could significantly enhance the Java application distribution. The solution uses the GemXplore ‘Xpresso Java SIM card, the GemConnect OTA platform, esmertec’s java virtual machine Jbed ME, a Java-enabled handset with an Agere chipset and the application management solution from Apeera.
Contact: Bernd Filsinger at ID Data Systems, Tel: +44 7974 928282, email: [email protected] Jane Strachey at Gemplus, Tel +33 442 36 46 61, email: [email protected]
corporate news
Datakey 4Q results slip Datakey, a developer of smart card technology for securing e-business, has reported a sharp drop in its revenue figures for the fourth quarter of 2002, ended 31 December. Revenue was US$1,507,000, down 45% on the US$2,749,000 made in the same period of 2001. Meanwhile, the company also slipped into the red in the fourth quarter, registering a loss of US$761,000 compared with a net profit of US$88,000 in the same year-earlier period. The annual picture was not so severe, but also showed a drop in performance, with revenue falling 7% to US$7,257,000 from US$7,815,000 in 2001. Net losses for the year came in at US$2,668,000 compared with US$2,006,000 in 2001. Despite the lower annual revenue, which the company attributes to a material decrease in the dollar value, there was a substantial increase in new pilot programs (23) and pilots converted to production (10), the company noted in its annual results. Contact: Alan Shuler at Datacard, Tel: +1 952 808 2349, email: [email protected]
in brief • Pace Integration is to issue more than 4,000 smart cards and its SmarterSkills Credentialing System to the ParkersburgMarietta Contractors and Trades Education and Development Fund. The cards will be issued to the Fund’s union membership to eliminate the need for workers to carry their various trade credentials, safety training and health test paperwork to jobsites. Key information from the paperwork, such as issue dates, expiration dates and certificate numbers are securely stored on the smart card. The new system will eventually be introduced to the contractors and owners. • LEGIC Identsystems, a provider of contactless smart card platforms, is to launch an RFID system that is compliant with various different ISO standards, such as ISO 15693 and ISO 14443. The product line is targeted at high volume smart card projects, such as ticketing, government solutions and general access control. • Oberthur Card Systems has partnered with Maya Software Technologies to produce a VPN solution aimed at mobile network operators’ corporate clients. Maya’s VPN solution is based on the Oberthur SIMphonIC JavaCard platform, and offers a SIM-based VPN service that gives corporate users a secure connection to their company’s network through their palmtops or high-end phones. • Hynix Semiconductor has introduced a commercially applicable Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM). FeRAM is a non-volatile, low power, high-density and high speed memory ideal for the next-generation mobile and ‘System on Chip’ applications. The memory will be introduced in 4Mb and 8Mb densities and will be manufactured on 0.25 µm process technology. The company expects rapid market penetration of FeRAM in mobile and multimedia applications including smart cards, handsets, PDA’s and smart phones. • AXCESS has launched new range of wireless ID cards with a reading range of up to eight feet. The company says the new ActiveTag long-range radio frequency identification (RFID) technology could help eliminating bottlenecks at building entrance points and high traffic security checkpoints. A small battery and circuitry are embedded directly into a standard card form factor, such as a smart card, enabling wireless transmissions for automatic recognition of cardholders and local tracking capability.
7