Turkey: Turkcell Launches New Applications with Gemalto’s Mobile Signature Solution

In addition to Internet-banking, users can securely access e-finance, e-commerce and e-government services through their handset, anytime, anywhere

Amsterdam, Nov 3, 2008 - Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, today announces that Turkcell (NYSE: TKC) is using its SIM-based mobile signature solution to rollout a set of new applications in the fields of e-finance, e-commerce and e-government. Turkcell is Turkey’s leading mobile operator with more than 35 million subscribers. The Gemalto solution allows subscribers to securely access online services that require strong authentication using their mobile phone to sign their transactions and documents by means of a legally binding electronic signature. Eighteen months after the initial deployment, the operator is working notably with 12 partner banks, 4 investment companies, 6 governmental organizations and 2 e-commerce websites. Today, 35 applications are available to Turkcell subscribers.
 
Turkcell initially launched their mobile signature program with the deployment of Internet banking services. This second phase sees the roll out of a broader range of online applications that subscribers can access from their mobile phone, home PC, or even an Internet café. Users authenticate themselves at login with the digital signature generated by their SIM card and they can sign secure e-commerce transactions through their handset. Turkcell subscribers can also perform stock exchange operations and follow the status of their investments. In the e-government sector, users can sign official documents such as tax or custom declarations, wedding application forms or patent registration requests. The Gemalto solution makes the service extremely easy to use – all that subscribers need to do is respond to an authentication request received via SMS, which requires them to enter a secret code. Then the digital signature is sent automatically to Turkcell’s validation server.
 
Gemalto provided Turkcell with a PKI-based strong authentication solution that ensures the highest levels of security for online operations. Upon the operator’s activation request, the SIM card itself creates the secret keys. This on-board key generation (OBKG) process is performed after the SIM card has been personalized and issued to the subscriber. It allows him or her to generate a secret signature key and passwords for accessing the application, in complete privacy and security. What makes this Gemalto mobile signature solution so secure is that it relies on something you own - the private key of your digital signature that is securely carried on the SIM card - and something you know - the secret access password to the application.
 
"Mobile signature makes life easier and more convenient for our subscribers, as they can identify themselves with one unique password to securely access various different applications," commented Cenk Serdar Chief Executive for Value Added Services with Turkcell. "Drawing on the success of the initial rollout, our plan is to pursue the fruitful business relationship we have built with Gemalto to make more and more new services available to our customers."
 
"We are proud to support Turkcell in this highly innovative program, which gives their subscribers the freedom to perform online operations when and where they want." added Philippe Vallée, Executive Vice President of the Telecommunications Business Unit at Gemalto.
 
Background information
Turkcell’s mobile signature program is based on qualified digital certificates by E-Guven, a Turkish Certificate Authority. Digital certificates are created under Turkish Digital Signature Law that is also in accordance with EU’s Digital Signature Directive.
 

 
 


About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the leader in digital security with pro forma 2007 annual revenues of over €1.6 billion, more than 85 offices in 40 countries and about 10,000 employees including 1,300 R&D engineers.
In a world where the digital revolution is increasingly transforming our lives, Gemalto’s solutions are designed to make personal digital interactions more convenient, secure and enjoyable.
Gemalto provides end-to-end digital security solutions, from the development of software applications through design and production of secure personal devices such as smart cards, SIMs, e-passports, and tokens to the deployment of managed services for its customers.
More than a billion people worldwide use the company's products and services for telecommunications, financial services, e-government, identity management, multimedia content, digital rights management, IT security, mass transit and many other applications.

As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the company is poised to thrive over the coming years.
For more information please visit www.gemalto.com.



Contacts:
 
Gemalto
Rémi Calvet
Tel: +33 (0) 1 55 01 64 10
Mob: +33 (0) 6 22 72 81 58
E-mail: remi.calvet@gemalto.com		 TBWA\Corporate
Sophie Mazoyer
Tel: +33 (0) 1 49 09 26 87
Mob : +33 (0) 6 07 21 08 77
E-mail: sophie.mazoyer@tbwa-corporate.com
   
Aline Borne
T.: +33 (0)1 55 01 51 05
M.: +33 (0)6 16 29 87 04
E-mail:aline.borne@gemalto.com