“Utilising Bell ID’s software solutions will enable us to offer services and support to the emerging payments industry by providing the framework for a powerful and flexible offering to our North American customers,” says Steve Montross, the card manufacturer’s president and CEO.
Global payments card supplier CPI Card Group has picked Bell ID’s trusted service manager (TSM) software solution for its entry into the NFC market in North America.
CPI plans to use Bell ID’s technology to provide TSM services to mobile network operators and service providers such as banks and transit organisations. CPI’s services will include the personalisation of NFC secure elements as well as the secure provisioning of applications such as payments, loyalty and transit over the air to NFC enabled mobile phones, both pre- and post-issuance.
“Utilising Bell ID’s software solutions will enable us to offer services and support to the emerging payments industry by providing the framework for a powerful and flexible offering to our North American customers,” says Steve Montross, president and CEO of CPI.
Bell ID launched its Mobile Token Manager solution last week. The software platform provides over-the-air (OTA) lifecycle management of applications, cryptographic keys and secure elements on NFC mobile devices.
“The solution meets a direct need in the marketplace as it is simple to use, secure, scalable and can be configured to connect with existing systems,” says David Orme, Bell’s CEO. “We have already received an incredibly positive reaction to the product from a range of stakeholders, including handset manufacturers and MNOs wishing to offer mobile services to end-users through the management of applications on embedded secure elements and UICCs respectively. In addition to this, there has been a high level of interest from vendors and other parties looking to become TSMs, such as personalisation bureaux.”
Bell ID has also been talking with banks and payment services providers that would like to directly manage their mobile payment applications through the deployment of microSD cards. “There is a real attraction in being able to synchronise the management of payment applications residing on both EMV smart cards and mobile secure elements,” Orme explains. “The Bell ID Mobile Token Manager can achieve this by integrating into legacy infrastructures to create one central application lifecycle platform.
“Regardless of the deployment model adopted and the business relationships created, this is an emerging ecosystem and there are still a lot of unknown factors,” Orme concludes. “The ability to securely update, personalise and manage applications over the air and be flexible to future requirements will be key to success.”
Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions