Hong Kong, 26 April 2000 - Hutchison Telecom, Cable & Wireless HKT Mobile Services and SmarTone today announced a joint initiative to set up a Forum for the development of a mobile certificate solution ("M-cert") to promote the development of mobile e-commerce in Hong Kong. The move aims at facilitating the adoption of one-single "M-Cert" for all PKI-based mobile e-commerce services as well as ensuring benefits for consumers, businesses and industry players.
"M-cert" will be a common security standard for mobile commerce that will comply with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), an open standard that ensures authentication, integrity, non-repudiation and confidentiality of electronic transaction. "M-cert" is a long-term and future-proof solution as it will comply with emerging mobile security standards and accommodate the requirements of different e-commerce service providers from all industries.
Mr. Cliff Woo, Deputy Managing Director & Wireless Networks Director of Hutchison Telecom, said at a media event today, "By our joining forces, and possibly including a broad spectrum of mobile network operators, mobile equipment suppliers, service providers and other related corporations, we aim to develop 'M-cert' for secure mobile e-commerce that would promote as well as support future demand for mobile electronic transactions in Hong Kong."
Mr. Eden Lau, General Manager, Marketing, Cable & Wireless HKT Mobile Services added, "We believe that PKI will become an important platform for customers to conduct electronic transactions. To facilitate the growth in mobile electronic business in Hong Kong and to ensure all mobile users enjoy the benefits of using mobile commerce, we will work closely with certificate authorities, as well as equipment and solution vendors to develop the 'M-cert'."
With one single "M-cert", all customers will be able to conveniently conduct different PKI-based services and applications such as paying utility bills, credit card payment, purchasing of movie and air tickets, stock trading and banking services.
"This open and vendor-independent framework complies with the Electronic Transaction Ordinance and will be a long-term solution for conducting mobile e-commerce. We see a lot of merit in pooling the resources of industry players for the betterment of not only consumers but also the telecommunications industry at large, as well as companies who are engaged in electronic transactions." said Mr. Chris Lau, General Manager, Product Development of SmarTone.
The trio targets to develop "M-cert" for mobile e-commerce within this year. The three companies said they would invite other mobile network operators, service providers, equipment or solution vendors who support the development of an open standard solution and share the same objective of promoting mobile e-commerce in Hong Kong to join the Forum.
Issued jointly by Hutchison Telecom, C&W HKT and SmarTone.
For further information, please contact:
Hutchison Telecom
Frances Ng
Public Relations Manager
Tel: (852) 2128 6739
Fax: (852) 2123 1257
e-mail: francesng@hthk.com.hk
Cable & Wireless HKT
Lucinda Wong
Manager - Mobile Services
Corporate Communications
Tel: (852) 2883 2163
Fax: (852) 2824 1231
E-mail: lucinda.kh.wong@cwhkt.com
SmarTone
Michelle Au
Manager, Public Relations
Corporate Communications
Tel: (852) 2594 3770
Fax: (852) 2827 8213
e-mail: michelle_au@hksmartone.com
Note to editors:
Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited
Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited, a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Group, is the leading telecommunications operator in Hong Kong with the largest mobile subscriber base. The Company provides mobile users a broad range of quality telecommunications products and services.
Hutchison Telecom has been breaking new ground in the telecommunications industry, and aims to provide users with a wirefree world of mobile communications. The Company was the first operator in Hong Kong to run three digital mobile networks simultaneously, which were the Orange dual band (900/1800) and CDMA networks.
Hutchison Telecom unveiled the world's first CDMA commercial network in October 1995, providng CDMA users with superb voice quality and high-capacity features. The Company also pioneered Asia's first dual band network and launched the service in September 1998. Combining GSM's outstanding coverage and the powerful capacity of PCS, the Orange dual band network provides quality mobile telecommunications services and wide international automatic roaming service in over 110 countries and destinations around the world.
Hutchison Telecom strives to enhance its network quality and expand its portfolio of value-added services offerings which include lifestyle, entertainment and health information, as well as mobile banking service and WAP service, to cater for the users' everyday needs. The Company has entered into strategic partnership with NTT DoCoMo, a leading telecommunications operator in Japan. This partnership enables Hutchison Telecom to further enhance its WAP mobile Internet services, high-speed data communications and mobile multimedia services, as well as pursuing a migration path towards third-generation mobile communications systems and services.
Cable & Wireless HKT
Cable & Wireless HKT, a Cable & Wireless company, is Hong Kong's major full-service communications provider, marketing a full array of quality voice and data telecommunication services backed by a state-of-the-art, fully digital fibre-optic network. Services include basic telephony, mobile telephony, international calls, specialized fax and data products, value-added services, Internet access, multimedia services, satellite links and telecommunications equipment and systems.
The outstanding quality of Cable & Wireless HKT's services was recognised in the global award of "Most Competitive Local or National Carrier" conferred in the Financial Times Global Telecommunications Awards in October 1999. Additionally, in a survey conducted by CFO Asia in November 1999, Cable & Wireless HKT was named as the number one company in Asia based on the wealth it has created for shareholders.
Apart from owning and operating Asia's largest commercial teleport, Cable & Wireless HKT is a pioneer in a wide range of communications solutions, such as launching the world's first fully digitized urban network, the world's first fibre-optic cable linking China, and the world's first interactive television services.
With customers in 70 countries, Cable & Wireless is a major global telecommunications business with revenue of around ? billion in the year ended March 1999 and over 50,000 employees. Its businesses around the world offer a range of services spanning broadband data and Internet services, fixed and mobile voice, as well as interactive entertainment and information. Cable & Wireless' priority for expansion is the fast growing market of data and IP (Internet Protocol) services for business customers. Since November 1998, it has announced major investments in advanced networks in the US and Europe, the restructuring of Cable & Wireless Communications in the UK and has acquired full control of Cable & Wireless IDC in Japan to support this strategy. Cable & Wireless now holds a unique position in terms of global coverage and services to business customers.
SmarTone
SmarTone is a premier provider of a wide range of communications services including mobile voice, wireless data, IDD, Internet and broadband multimedia.
The Company became the first operator in Asia to introduce a GSM mobile communications network in March 1993. Staying at the forefront of technology, SmarTone has scored many industry firsts - first in Greater China to conduct field trials for a WCDMA third generation communications system, and first in the world to launch Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) services, which enable mobile phone access to web information. In December 1999, the Company became the first in Asia to conduct field trials for GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) mobile data technology, and to showcase broadband services via Local Multipoint Distribution System (LMDS).
SmarTone strives to be the market leader in meeting customer needs for multimedia services anywhere and anytime.
SmarTone (SEHK: 0315), a public company and a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index, the Company has a market capitalization of about HK$22 billion, SmarTone's major shareholders are Sun Hung Kai Properties (26.4%) and British Telecommunications plc (20%).
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