Gemplus Touts WLAN Sim KitGemplus Touts WLAN Sim Kit

LUXEMBOURG -- Gemplus International S.A. (Euronext: LU0121706294 - GEM and NASDAQ: GEMP), the world's leading provider of smart card-based solutions, today announced the commercial launch of its SIM solution for accessing data over Public WLAN, GEMobileIT.

GEMobileIT is a package comprised of software, a smart card combining SIM card and enterprise security functions, and a smart card reader. The pack is designed to authenticate the WLAN user to the network operator and to provide secure access to the user's corporate network and data. Once installed on the PC, it manages the operator / end-user authentication over the WLAN, and then automatically runs the enterprise VPN authentication. It guarantees the most secure connection over public hotspots by linking into the GSM infrastructure, thereby benefiting from the roaming, billing and authentication infrastructure already deployed by mobile operators. It stores corporate credentials, authenticating end-users to their Virtual Private Network within the same smart card.

The GEMobileIT software manages access to the smart card from different locations (USB reader or GPRS/WLAN PC card) and provides user convenience through single PIN management for both WLAN and VPN authentication.

Russian Operator, Vympelcom, has been testing GEMobileIT since May 2003. Sergey Avdeev, Vice-President Network Development, said "GEMobileIT is proving itself to be a robust solution in offering secure Wireless LAN access to Internet and corporate resources remotely. It is a key part of our strategy for offering high-speed data services to our users".

Philippe Martineau, Vice President, WLAN, Gemplus, said "Gemplus has been working with the various standards bodies and key players in the field in order to ensure a future-proof and scaleable solution with new technology advances and features, such as that in progress with Intel. This experience has served to reinforce our belief that end-user convenience and security are the two key challenges faced by the network operator in the WLAN market and we believe GEMobileIT provides exactly that".

Separately, Gemplus is doing research with Intel Corporation on the implementation of a generic mechanism that secures the channel directly between the SIM card, wherever it resides, and the trusted terminal (laptop, PDA, etc.) used to access a WLAN.

At the 3GSM World Congress 2004, Gemplus and Intel will demonstrate how the SIM, in a Bluetooth enabled device, is used to establish a trusted WLAN session from an Intel-based laptop. Visit the Gemplus stand, Hall 1, B19 for more information.

Gemplus SA