Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt rely on SIM cards with Mobile ID
With Mobile ID and a smartphone, anyone can log in easily and securely to various online platforms, whether it's online banking, an online store, or a company VPN. In addition to Swisscom and Sunrise, Salt will also begin supporting Mobile ID later this year.
Mobile ID is a quick and easy way to authenticate yourself - and all you have to do is remember a password. All you need is a cell phone, a SIM card of the latest generation, and a six-digit personal numeric code. Mobile ID becomes the central key.
Mobile ID is both a technology and a method of authentication stored on the SIM card of the cell phone. The phone's operating system does not play a role. Unlike app solutions, no new authentication is required when the phone is changed, because it is stored on the SIM card. Mobile ID meets the highest security requirements for two-factor authentication and is thus often even more secure than classic bank logins, according to the announcement.
The service works for online banking, digital signatures, corporate VPN and much more. It's quite possible that in the future, for example, we will release tax returns via Mobile ID or an insurance contract in the online portal.
Competitors work together
The service has been available at Sunrise and Swisscom since the end of 2014, and Salt will also offer Mobile ID-enabled SIM cards from this fall. The ICT companies, which are competitors in their core business, are working hand in hand on Mobile ID. Benoit Strölin, responsible for Mobile ID at Swisscom, says: "We wanted to give Mobile ID an identity that the customer recognizes and that at the same time stands for a strong partnership. Our joint project is a good example of cross-company collaboration for digitization in Switzerland." (pd/hae)
