3G Americas Publishes White Paper on Identity Management for the Internet

BELLEVUE, WA--(Marketwire - January 9, 2009) - 3G Americas, a wireless industry trade association representing the GSM family of technologies including LTE, today announced that it has published a research report titled, "Identity Management: Overview of Standards and Technologies for Mobile and Fixed Internet," providing a summary of the identity management standards and technologies existing or emerging in the mobile Internet world.

Identity Management (IdM) has become a key candidate for next generation network services, where operators must seamlessly integrate mobile, wireline, and Internet businesses and technologies together as well as provide customer-centric and identity-oriented services. In recent years, Internet-based IdM standards and technologies have rapidly evolved to address security, user experience and privacy needs. "Identity Management: Overview of Standards and Technologies for Mobile and Fixed Internet" provides an introduction to the technologies, standards, solutions and architecture guidelines for supporting such unified IdM architecture framework. The white paper describes the unified IdM architecture concept which is intended to provide practical interworking solution examples by leveraging the Generic Bootstrapping Architecture (GBA) and Internet-based security standards and technologies.

"Following the early days of the Internet, and the subsequent boom of the World Wide Web, the third phase of Internet development -- pertaining to the mobile Internet -- is now taking place, bringing with it the convergence of mobile and fixed networks," stated Chris Pearson, President of 3G Americas. "With this tremendous mobile Internet opportunity is the huge responsibility for mobile operators to provide security, privacy and a positive experience for their customers. The customer's identity management will be a critical part of the evolving converged architecture as new opportunities and vulnerabilities are introduced through the integration of different networks and technologies."

Research highlighted in the white paper concludes that standards for Internet-based identity federation are very crucial for IdM to work properly. Yet, the industry has not settled with one set of specifications and is currently working out complex interoperability among different identity federation protocols. The positive news is that for years, mobile operators have deployed a formidable security infrastructure based on Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications. Operators can implement a standards-based unified IdM architecture by integrating GBA and Internet-based IdM standards and technologies. By integrating Internet-based identity federation and Third Generation GSM-based network technologies together, telecom operators, especially mobile network operators, have a unique opportunity to become identity providers capable of offering valuable security services to the web service providers. "Identity Management: Overview of Standards and Technologies for Mobile and Fixed Internet" further addresses how GBA and Internet-based identity federation integration challenges can be resolved. The white paper stresses GBA is one option that could provide a key piece for the mobile Internet as it not only supplies the UICC-based strong authentication to secure mobile Internet access, but also enables leveraging Internet-based identity federation and Single Single-On (SSO) technologies for the next generation converged services.

"Although the entire field of IdM is very complex and is constantly evolving, the same unified IdM architecture concept has the ability to adapt to the new standards, technologies and business requirements," Pearson commented.

The white paper, "Identity Management: Overview of Standards and Technologies for Mobile and Fixed Internet," was collaboratively written by members of 3G Americas and is available for free download on the 3G Americas website at www.3gamericas.org.

About 3G Americas: Unifying the Americas through Wireless Technology

3G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to promote and facilitate the seamless deployment throughout the Americas of the GSM family of technologies, including LTE. 3G Americas has contributed to the successful commercial rollout of GSM across the Americas and its place as the number one technology in the region, as well as the global adoption of EDGE. The organization aims to develop the expansive wireless ecosystem of networks, devices, and applications enabled by GSM and its evolution to LTE. 3G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, WA with an office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Dallas, Texas. More information is available at www.3gamericas.org.

Contact Information: Contact: Vicki Livingston (262) 242 3458