GSM and JAVA
Sun Microsystems' Java Card Technology
Available as GSM Standard in Mobile Phones
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 16, 1999--Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq:SUNW - news) today announced that
Java Card(TM) technology has been adopted into the industry-leading worldwide standard for mobile phones: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).
Already shipping, the smart card chip built into GSM phones provides personalization and security while enabling access
to a variety of new wireless services such as remote banking, ticketing and payment due to the phone's ability to provide secure transactions.
``With more mobile phones sold worldwide last year than cars and PCs combined, there are clearly a wealth of
opportunities for device manufacturers and service providers,' said Patrice Peyret, director, platform software
engineering, Consumer and Embedded, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
``Leveraging platform independent Java(TM) technology in GSM phones will empower the emerging networked economy by allowing telecommunications providers to become wireless portals, connecting consumers seamlessly to Internet based
content and services.'
International Data Corporation estimates that over 200 million people worldwide today use mobile phones and that
number is projected to reach one billion users by the year 2005.
The GSM architecture requires two main components, a handset and a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. The
removable SIM card stores personal authentication data. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI),
which creates GSM standards, has adopted Sun's Java Card technology for inclusion in the SIM Toolkit.
The SIM Toolkit is an extension to the GSM standard that enables SIM cards to perform value-added services in
addition to the basic subscriber management functions. Now, programmers can create these services using standard Java
technology-based development tools and the widely accepted Java Card environment.
The Java Card application programming interface (API) for the SIM Toolkit was developed collaboratively by several
major Java Card technology licensees including Bull, De La Rue (Oberthur), Gemplus and Schlumberger. The
combination of Java technology and the SIM Toolkit will enable service providers to simply create and securely deploy value-added services such as travel and entertainment reservations, ticketing and loyalty programs to GSM phones.
Sun's open technologies, such as the Java Card platform, help ensure cross-platform compatibility, portability and strong security features. The ability of Java Card technology to work across different platforms is accelerating the convergence of multiple industries.
For example, De La Rue (Oberthur) is demonstrating a GSM SIM card that contains support for both Java Card
technology and the GlobalPlatform, formerly known as the Visa Open Platform. This particular card provides direct
support for both telephony and financial applications.
The Java Card platform's open standard object-orientated structure provides a natural platform for this integration,
allowing businesses to deploy payment and transaction services to millions of customers across a wide range of Java technology-enabled devices.
Introduced in 1996, the Java Card platform is a widely deployed open standard multi-application smart card environment.With over 30 licensees representing more than 90% of the manufacturing capacity of the smart card industry, the Java Card platform is a proven technology that has been deployed in millions of units.
For more information about Sun's Java Card technology, please visit java.sun.com.
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- The Network Is The Computer(TM) -- has propelled Sun Microsystems,
Inc. (Nasdaq:SUNW - news), to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services
that power the Internet and allow companies worldwide to ``.com' their businesses. With $12.4 billion in annual revenues,
Sun can be found in more than 170 countries and on the World Wide Web at sun.com.
Note to Editors: Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, Java Card and the 'Network is the Computer' are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and in other countries.
Don't miss the upcoming Java Business(SM) Conference, Dec. 7-9, 1999 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New
York City. The Java(TM) technology based software industry, as well as enterprise customers of these vendors, will
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conference that will enable attendees to make better informed decisions on their web business strategies, including how to
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upon the power of the Java platform. For more information, or to register, please visit
zdstudios.com or call 888/886-8309. |
