Network operators can gain some control over the application of near-field communications technology, according to Sicap, which announced capabilities to provision contactless applications to any device or SIM card designed for NFC.
Spun off from Swisscom Mobile in 2000 after its start in 1994, Sicap uses its server-side expertise and in-house knowledge databases of all device and SIM capabilities and leverages its databases to recognize device and SIM characteristics and capabilities, then provide the appropriate solution. It says it will remove the barriers for operators to launch large scale contactless payment services such as NFC.
The Sicap SIM OTA platform can seamlessly download NFC service applets, wherever the secure element may be located. Sicap OTA Device Management Center recognizes device capabilities and correctly delivers mobile applications for trusted financial and commercial partners. In case of loss or theft, the application and services can be restored on the new device and SIM.
Sicap says that this year and next, its operator customers are conducting NFC trials. The difficulty for operators to access and manage the secure element is also being countered by standards bodies, including the GSM Association, which has recently imposed SWP (single wire protocol) to interface between the NFC secure element and the SIM. SWP effectively involves the SIM in the delivery chain, nipping in the bud any bypass of the operator.
