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• Service will enable customers to create and manage a universal identity that will securely authenticate them for banking, health, recreational and e-government portals and access services
Barcelona - Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom innovator across eight markets in the Middle East and Africa, has confirmed that it will develop Mobile Connect services across the region in cooperation with other regional operators. The confirmation was made during the Mobile World Congressin Barcelona last week.The GSMA's Mobile Connect service enables customers to create and manage a universal identity that will securely authenticate them and allow them to safely access mobile and digital services such as e-commerce, banking, health and digital entertainment, as well as e-government portals, via their mobile phones.
Commenting on the plans to bring Mobile Connect to the region, Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer said, "Zain has been proactive with respect to mobile commerce, online identity, and digital services, and we view the GSMA's Mobile Connect initiative as being completely aligned with our own efforts." He continued, "The success of our industry reminds us that there are greater chances for the entire market to advance and succeed if there is cooperation leading to the mass adoption of technologies. We shall play our role in collaboration with our peers in the region to extend the reach of this program."
Operators are leveraging Mobile Connect to simplify the log-in and account management of their own customers and the service is now in commercial use by a wide range of digital service providers including e-commerce, insurance, email, online travel and classified sites.
"Mobile Connect is designed to simplify consumers' lives by offering a single, trusted, mobile phone-based authentication solution that addresses the vulnerability of online passwords, while also respecting online privacy," said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. "The industry has made important progress in rolling out the service around the world, giving users control over their own data and enabling consumers, businesses and governments alike to interact and access online services in a convenient, private, and trusted environment."
The GSMA is working closely with operators globally to support further Mobile Connect deployments. In the United States, for example, the GSMA has been awarded a grant by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as part of the US government's National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) initiative, to fund a technology proof-of-concept pilot of a mobile-based identity service.
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About Zain Group
Zain is a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East and Africa providing mobile voice and data services to over 44.3 million active customers as of 31 December, 2014. With a commercial presence in 8 countries, Zain operates in: Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and South Sudan. In Lebanon, the Group manages 'touch' on behalf of the government. In Morocco, Zain has a 15.5% stake in 'INWI', through a joint venture. Zain is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (stock ticker: ZAIN).
For more, please email info@zain.com or visit: www.zain.com; www.facebook.com/zain; www.twitter.com/zain; www.youtube.com/zain; www.instagram.com/zaingroup; www.linkedin.com/company/zain
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.
© Press Release 2015
