Ooredoo Launches GSMA Mobile Connect Service Trial in Indonesia
Working with Indosat to promote global standards & secure Digital Identity Services for Indonesian consumers
Doha, Qatar /Jakarta, Indonesia
Indosat, member of Ooredoo Group, has successfully completed the first Indonesian trial of Mobile Connect, the GSMA standard for mobile identity services, in partnership with the GSMA and Ericsson. Through the GSMA’s Mobile Connect, Indosat is providing a simple, convenient and secure log-in and authentication solution via any mobile device to its customers.
Mobile Connect allows consumers to safely access mobile and digital services such as e-commerce, entertainment, banking, health and digital entertainment as well as e-government portals via their mobile phones. It provides secure access to these services as well as greater privacy and robust data protection. This higher level of protection is particularly important for the growing number of Indonesian consumers accessing these services from their mobile phone.
With the trial in Indonesia, Ooredoo and Indosat join other innovative telecom operators across the world working to help ensure that universal mobile identity authentication becomes a global standard. For this trial, Indosat and the GSMA partnered with Ericsson who provided the underlying platform for digital authentication that enables Mobile Connect.
Dr. Nasser Marafih, Group CEO, Ooredoo, said: “Mobile data is an increasingly important part of our offering as a world-class mobile operator. At the core of this transformation is the continuous development of innovative and relevant digital services to enhance the lives of consumers and better facilitate enterprise. Ensuring the security of our customers’ personal data and privacy whether they are accessing readily available digital content and services, banking services or government portals is our first priority. With the GSMA’s Mobile Connect service we will be a trusted partner for our customers in the digital/online space, ensuring safety and offering the highest level of protection available.”
Indosat’s initial trial involved enabling Mobile Connect on its e-commerce marketplace, Cipika, offering a highly convenient way for Indonesians to purchase regional food, handicrafts and products online. Alongside this Cipika is also expanding into other verticals such as mobile phones, electronic gadgets and digital entertainment vouchers. With Mobile Connect, consumers can access the market place from their mobile number in a secure and convenient manner without any need to remember logins and passwords.
“Indosat is committed to building one of the strongest digital ecosystems in Asia Pacific,” said Alex Rusli, Indosat CEO and President Director. “In addition to developing award-winning services such as Dompetku, our mobile money & payments platform, we are also partnering with and investing in innovative digital companies through our ideabox incubator and venture capital fund with Softbank.”
He continued: “Working closely alongside Ooredoo Group we are building a highly innovative digital platform. Moving forwards we hope to roll out Mobile Connect across most of our services and partners meaning that our customers can access this digital ecosystem in a secure and convenient way by simply picking up their mobile numbers.”
As the service develops Ooredoo will work with other Mobile Operators locally and globally to drive scale and usage of Mobile Connect, helping to create a global standard which also benefits services providers, locally and globally. Alongside this, Ooredoo is working to make services such as carrier billing available across multiple devices and via the web, increasing the choice available to customers across its footprint.
“Consumers are increasingly concerned over the security of their digital identity and mobile operators are ideally positioned to help to manage this by ensuring they can interact and access services in a private, trusted and secure way,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. “This trial in Indonesia is an important step in the acceleration and adoption of GSMA Mobile Connect and underscores the need to establish a consistent and standardised set of services for managing digital authentication and identity globally.”
About Ooredoo
Ooredoo is a leading international communications company delivering mobile, fixed, broadband internet and corporate managed services tailored to the needs of consumers and businesses across markets in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia. As a community-focused company, Ooredoo is guided by its vision of enriching people’s lives and its belief that it can stimulate human growth by leveraging communications to help people achieve their full potential. Ooredoo has a presence in markets such as Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine, the Maldives, Myanmar and Indonesia. The company was named “Best Mobile Operator of the Year” at the World Communication Awards 2013.
The company reported revenues of US$9.3 billion in 2013 and had a consolidated global customer base of more than 95 million people as of 31 December 2013. Ooredoo’s shares are listed on the Qatar Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
Twitter: @Ooredoo
Facebook: facebook.com/ooredoogroup
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/ooredoo
