GlobalPlatform Launches Transportation Task Force
05 October, 2009 – International smart card infrastructure body, GlobalPlatform, has launched a Transportation Task Force to actively contribute to the evolution of smart ticketing solutions and to promote the benefits that GlobalPlatform's established technology can bring to the sector.
The Transportation Task Force will aim to create a forum with other transportation organizations to promote the value that interoperable technology can add to smart ticketing implementations. The group will also work with the organization's Card, Device and Systems Committees to modify and advance GlobalPlatform's existing specifications to address specific requirements as highlighted by the industry. The aim of this activity is to develop a standard travel media that will offer multi transportation network ticketing solutions which provide a variety of additional services to passengers, for example bike rental or banking services.
The task force's first priority is to publish a white paper that will position GlobalPlatform's offering to the transportation sector by detailing how its neutral and scalable technology can be adopted by the market today without customization. The paper will also explain how GlobalPlatform Specifications enable the usage of a third party media, for example a mobile phone, to undertake e-ticketing transactions; enhance mobility by facilitating the co-existence of different local transport applications on the same media; and allow transport operators to enrich services by offering new applications throughout the lifecycle of the solution.
Michel Barjansky, Innovation Manager, Engineering Department at Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) has been appointed as the leader of the Transportation Task Force. He comments: "The transportation industry has identified the value smart card technology can bring to their networks such as efficient e-ticketing distribution. As a secure multi-application smart card specification provider representing payment systems, the telecoms community and transport operators, we believe it is important that GlobalPlatform contributes to this evolving landscape from an independent, cross-industry perspective. By participating now, GlobalPlatform can support the convergence of the transportation market with other sectors to create exciting and convenient services to passengers."
Gil Bernabeu, GlobalPlatform's Technical Director and Technical Advisor for the Standardization and Technology Department at Gemalto, adds: "GlobalPlatform has an established, secure and flexible smart card infrastructure that transcends markets and supports multi-application, multi-actor and multi-business model implementations. This means that a transport operator deploying an e-ticketing solution today can benefit from our experience and knowledge by using GlobalPlatform's latest and most sophisticated technology, which will save significant time to market as well as research and development costs."
The Transportation Task Force will work closely with GlobalPlatform's Mobile Task Force. This group has established links with associations such as StoLPaN, European Telecommunications Standards Institute, EMVCo, GSM Association, European Payments Council, Association Européenne Payez Mobile, Ulysse and the Mobey Forum. This shared expertise will be invaluable as GlobalPlatform increases its activity within the transportation sector.
If your organization would like to participate in these discussions, please visit www.globalplatform.org for GlobalPlatform membership details. If your association would like to create a liaison relationship with GlobalPlatform, please contact secretariat@globalplatform.org.
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About GlobalPlatform
*2009 is the 10th anniversary of GlobalPlatform - to learn more about its achievements please click here*
GlobalPlatform is the leading, international association, focused on establishing and maintaining an interoperable and sustainable infrastructure for smart card deployments. Its technology supports multi-application, multi-actor and multi-business model implementations, which delivers benefits to issuers, service providers and technology suppliers.
GlobalPlatform is a member driven association with cross-industry representation from all world continents. As of October 2009, an estimated 449 million GlobalPlatform-based smart cards had been deployed. Additionally, 2.2 billion mid range USIM/SIM cards worldwide are estimated to use GlobalPlatform card technology to enable over-the-air (OTA) application downloads for 3G and GSM mobile networks.
GlobalPlatform is an independent, not-for-profit organization and its strategy is defined and prioritized by a Board of Directors. GlobalPlatform is currently chaired by Sebastien Tormos, Vice-President of Marketing, Datacard Group, and vice-chaired by Marc Kekicheff, Vice President Product Technology, Visa Inc. Kevin Gillick serves the membership on a full-time basis as its Executive Director.
www.globalplatform.org
