GlobalPlatform

GlobalPlatform’s NFC UICC Configuration Now Meet Latest GSMA Specifications

February 3, 2016         By: Asif Imtiaz

GlobalPlatform, the developer of specifications to facilitate the secure deployment and management of secure chip technology, announced that they have updated the NFC UICC configuration in order to align it with the new GSMA specifications.

GlobalPlatform said in a press release that they have been working “closely with the GSMA to integrate new use cases for the deployment and management of contactless services on NFC-enabled devices.”

The UICC configuration started in 2008, which serves as guidance for deploying card specification version 2.3 developed by GlobalPlatform. The UICC Configuration provides a detailed outline for managing the “behavior of each and every actor involved within a UICC implementation,” said the press release.

Furthermore, the UICC documentation helps card issuers to accommodate various third party applications as well as makes sure that their technology can facilitate a diverse range of business models in various ecosystems.

Commenting on the updated UICC configuration of GlobalPlatform, Gloria Trujillo, SIM Group Director at GSMA, said that “interoperability is critical in enabling the mobile ecosystem to scale.” She emphasized the critical aspects of aligning SIM vendors to industry specifications in order to meet the “functional requirements of contactless services.”

“It’s crucial that operators and SIM vendors can confirm that their products are aligned with industry specifications,” she added.

On the other hand, Gil Bernabeu, Technical Director of GlobalPlatform expressed the importance of cross-industry partnerships, which plays a key role in the success of their overall compliance activity.

“Technology is constantly evolving and consensus is key to the successful delivery of consistent services to end users. The GSMA’s comprehensive vision of the telecom market has enhanced the configuration and we welcome requirements from other bodies and organizations involved in the development, provisioning and management of contactless services to NFC-enabled devices,” he said.

GlobalPlatform has developed programs for vendors to get certification via one of its qualified laboratories. In addition, there are a few self-testing products offered by GlobalPlatform that vendors can use to verify if they meet the specification.