Biometric upgrade to GSMA Mobile Connect showcased at GSMA Mobile 360 India

The greatest impact on digitalization in India has certainly come from the Aadhaar Program, in which residents are issued a unique 12-digit identification number by registering their two iris scans, 10 fingerprints and facial biometric data. Thanks to this Aadhaar number, Indian citizens can access social and economic benefits and services. Safran Identity & Security has been part of the consortium along with the Indian government to create this program, which stands today as one of the world’s biggest IT projects. It is in this context of identity digitalization that Safran and Aircel, one of the leading mobile operators in India, worked together on an exciting combination of “GSMA Mobile Connect” (a password-free, trusted and secure log-in solution) with the biometric verification capability of Aadhaar. The biometrically-enhanced Mobile Connect solution will give a convenient edge to end users by enabling them to remotely complete their self-registration, as the link to the country’s Aadhaar-identity database means no additional complex equipment is needed – just a phone. Additionally, when a customer registers a new mobile account, customer registration and authentication will become easier, more robust and sustainable. These combined capabilities create simple and secure access to Aircel’s customer self-service.

The combination of GSMA Mobile Connect, selfie-check facial authentication and the Aircel app shows how together we can deliver a simple, secure and brilliant solution. The response from our customers, the mobile operators, at the GSMA Mobile 360 India event was fantastic! The teamwork to make this happen was remarkable, and we look forward to making such solutions commercially available.
Sanjeev Shriya, Senior Vice President India at Safran Identity & Security