TeliaSonera presents easy WLAN access with SIM card authentication

(3GSM World Congress, Barcelona) TeliaSonera has led a GSM Association project presenting how wireless LAN services can be combined with mobile access services in a very easy and user-friendly way. The project trial service is operational in Barcelona during the 3GSM World Congress, February 13-16.

SIM-card authentication enables seamless access to WLAN. The user can access WLAN networks without any usernames or passwords both in home networks and when roaming. International WLAN roaming works the same way as in GSM and 3G networks. Seamless access is a key element in the converging world of different wireless networks and mobile services. This means that the user will be able to roam and switch between the different networks seamlessly and automatically, making it increasingly simple to use the growing number of mobile terminals with both mobile and WLAN access. The same easiness will be available to the user of any laptop computer with a data card, too. “The trial is one step further into a more user-friendly and easy-to-use service environment where the user is always best connected and can fully concentrate on using the wanted service. The network access, be it 2G, 3G or WLAN, can be operated in the background. The aim is to make the technology automatic so that the user doesn’t have to worry about it,” says Veikko Hara, CTO, Corporate R&D, TeliaSonera AB. The trial service is operational in Barcelona’s Fira de Barcelona congress centre during the 3GSM World Congress. The WLAN network is provided by the Spanish WLAN operator Kubi Wireless and used by customers of six participating operator partners from Europe and Asia. The trial service is accessible with several commercially available terminals that support SIM authentication in WLAN access. In the trial, the SIM-card based authentication is routed through TeliaSonera's network. Demos at 3GSM World Congress Further comments and service demos are available from TeliaSonera representatives at 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona between February 13-15 in TeliaSonera´s Press Room, Hall 3, level 2. For further information journalists can contact: Sami Ala-Luukko, Director, Corporate R&D, TeliaSonera AB, 358-(0)40 502 0880 Timo Saxen, Head of External Communications, TeliaSonera Finland, tel. +358 (0) 400 787 948 Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in the press release relating to future status or circumstances, including future performance and other trend projections are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements due to many factors, many of which are outside the control of TeliaSonera.