GlobalPlatform is an international specification body for smart card infrastructure. It has recently has launched a Trusted Service Manager (TSM) Working Group within its Systems Committee. TSMs facilitate the secure management and provisioning of mobile contactless services within a mobile near field communication (NFC) ecosystem.

Internationalspecification body for smart card infrastructure, GlobalPlatform, has launcheda Trusted Service Manager (TSM) Working Group within its Systems Committee.Created in response to market demand, the group will focus initialactivity on specifying a standard language to facilitate communication betweenTSMs operating within the banking sector and mobile network operators (MNO).

As independent trusted third parties, TSMs facilitate the securemanagement and provisioning of mobile contactless services within a mobile nearfield communication (NFC) ecosystem, and must be capable of interacting withall mobile network operators and service providers.  Using itscross-industry expertise, GlobalPlatform’s TSM Working Group will analyze theinterfaces between TSMs and MNOs to define a common and secure messagingspecification. 

The specification will detail how TSMs can communicate with MNOsto interact with the secure element on a mobile handset to deliver convenientand creative services directly to the end user.  The specification will bereusable across different market sectors, for instance for deploying mobilecontactless payment or contactless services for public transportation.

Eric Le Saint, Chair of the GlobalPlatform Systems Committee andDirector of Security, IP and Standards Engagement at ActivIdentity, comments:“Acknowledging a real demand from the market, GlobalPlatform released a whitepaper last year which outlined the management of applications in a range of NFCusage scenarios, and the roles and responsibilities of each player within theecosystem.  Creating the GlobalPlatform TSM Working Group and addressingin a messaging specification some of the challenges in the white paper is alogical next step for the organization.  The TSM working group has thecapability and expertise to effectively progress this activity.”

Marc Kekicheff, Vice Chair of GlobalPlatform and leader of theMobile Task Force, and Senior Business Leader at Visa Inc., adds: “It is vitalthat a common language is defined to ensure efficient communication between thekey players within the NFC ecosystem to enable contactless payment services tobe deployed and managed on a mass market scale.  There has already beensignificant interest and contributions from GlobalPlatform members, whichrepresents the entire NFC landscape, as well as new members eager toparticipate.”

In addition to working with the GlobalPlatform Systems Committee,the TSM Working Group will also benefit from the market experience ofGlobalPlatform’s Mobile Task Force.  This group has established links withassociations such as AssociationEuropéenne Payez Mobile, EMVCo, European Payments Council,European Telecommunications Standards Institute, GSM Association, Mobey Forum and StoLPaN, and will provideinvaluable contributions to the activity.  

About GlobalPlatform:

GlobalPlatform is the global leader in smart cardinfrastructure development and its proven, technical specifications for cards,devices and systems are known as the standard for smart card infrastructure.GlobalPlatform is a member driven association with cross-industryrepresentation from all world continents. For more information aboutGlobalPlatform, visit: www.globalplatform.org