GSMA to host authentication summit as personal data becomes key issue in Americas

In both LatAm and North America, the proliferation of digital services is creating myriad opportunities across a number of different verticals. As a result, consumers are becoming increasingly reliant on the digital services offered by online retailers, content providers, government agencies and banks.

Despite this huge opportunity, lack of consumer trust in digital services is preventing the market from scaling. According to recent research by commissioned by the GSMA, most US consumers struggle with log-in mechanisms that require them to remember multiple usernames and passwords, while worrying about the privacy implications of sharing personal data online.

Indeed, research undertaken by Gallup suggests that very few people in the US trust companies to keep their online data safe – moreover, this trust seems to be in decline. Both consumers and service providers are looking for easier and more secure ways to share information, and as such, there is a clear demand for a secure, interoperable log-in solution.

Throughout the next month, the GSMA’s Personal Data programme will be engaged in a number of industry events in North America, discussing the new secure authentication solution for digital services that protects end-user privacy.

The solution is Mobile Connect and it is already being delivered by over 17 mobile operators across 13 markets worldwide – within the next year the industry plans to enable over 1 billion users around the world.

Mobile Connect will be present at one of the leading events in the industry, the 2015 TC3 Summit, hosted by Telecom Council, from September 30 – October 1. On September 30, the GSMA’s CTO, Alex Sinclair, will be speaking at the event on the subject of Mobile Identity, in which he will discuss how Mobile can serve as an authentication mechanism across a number of different verticals – including payment and finance.

Mobile Connect Americas Summit

On October 13 – 15 The GSMA will be hosting the Mobile Connect Americas Summit in New York, where the mobile industry will be convening to discuss the roll out of Mobile Connect in LatAm and North America. On October 14, we invite you to the Summit for Digital Service Providers; a day dedicated to learning about Mobile Connect, exploring its features and roadmap and hearing from global mobile operators around their experience.

The event is an ideal opportunity to discuss specific business needs for digital service providers and understand how to get involved with Mobile Connect. At the Summit, leading experts from mobile operators, digital service providers, identity vendors and other companies will be speaking, including representatives from Consult Hyperion, Gemalto, GlobalSign, MasterCard, Movile, NSTIC, PayFone, and Telefónica, Telenor and Telus.

On October 14, the Personal Data Programme will be participating in the I Love APIs conference in San Jose, where Product Management Director, Technology Marcus Dormanns, will be discussing how operators are reshaping their business to capture more value. The programme will also be hosting discussions, workshops and showcases in Atlanta at Mobile 360 Series North America on 27-29 October.

We invite you to join us at our events in North America to discover how the power of Mobile Connect and how it can be used to help the digital market scale across a number of different sectors. To find out more about Personal Data programme’s events, click here.