Six of India's mobile network operators '” Aircel, Bharti Airtel, Idea, Tata Teleservices, Telenor and Vodafone '” are now offering Mobile Connect, the GSMA's mobile-based authentication service, making it available to more than 800 million consumers across India.
Mobile Connect enables customers to create and manage a digital universal identity via a single login. The service securely authenticates users, enabling them to digitally confirm their identity and their credentials and grant safe online access to mobile and digital services. It works by employing the user's unique mobile number, combined with a unique PIN for more secure use cases, to verify and grant online access.
The GSMA said Mobile Connect would be used by a wide range of digital service providers including GaneshaSpeaks, GoIbibo, Trupay, Twigly, Zee Digital Group and Zomato, covering areas such as commerce, finance and banking, health services, media and entertainment and travel and hospitality. 'Additionally, business-to-business Mobile Connect services have been deployed by BuyHatke and Times Mobile Ltd, enabled by mXpresso and will help to prevent fraud installations and fake application downloads,' GSMA said.
'Apigee and WSO2.Telco have provided technology to easily integrate Mobile Connect with the operators' networks, so that users of any mobile network offering Mobile Connect can log in and be authorized for any application.'
GSMA Director General, Mats Granryd, said: 'Today's launch marks the culmination of a year-long collaboration amongst the Indian MNOs to deliver a single, intuitive and secure mobile-based authentication solution that enables hundreds of millions of consumers to safely and seamlessly access online services on their mobile devices without worrying about privacy or passwords.'
Indian mobile subscribers will initially be able to access Mobile Connect services, including login and self-care apps, from their operator's website and in the future, anywhere they see the Mobile Connect logo. In addition to the operators' websites, the GSMA has launched a portal (www.mobileconnect.in) where Indian consumers can find further information on Mobile Connect and tutorials on how they can use it.
The GSMA said the launch of Mobile Connect in India would extend the global momentum behind the solution. 'Today 42 operators in 22 countries around the world are implementing Mobile Connect, making it available to nearly three billion customers.'
