NFC-Enabled BlackBerry Smartphones now available

HID Global, trusted leader in solutions for the delivery of secure identity, today announced an industry first with plans to support the company’s iCLASS digital keys and mobile secure identity on NFC-enabled BlackBerry smartphones. The new BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 and BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360 smartphones activated with iCLASS digital credentials will be compatible with the large installed base of iCLASS readers that are used for applications ranging from physical access systems in buildings, to student IDs, to applications that track time and attendance.

HID Global will be previewing iCLASS digital keys and mobile identity credentials using the Near Field Communications (NFC) capabilities of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone at the ASIS International 2011 security conference, September 19-22, in booth #2400 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.  In addition, representatives from HID Global and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion (RIM) will be speaking about this new platform at ASIS.

“This industry first is an important milestone in the deployment of mobile access and identity solutions using NFC technology on smartphones,” said Dr. Tam Hulusi, senior vice president of strategic innovation with HID Global. “We will continue to innovate in the delivery of secure identity, as NFC-enabled smartphones represent a complementary new platform that we believe will expand the access control market and our online card services business while improving user security and convenience.”

Instead of using keys or smartcards, BlackBerry smartphone users will be able to use iCLASS digital credentials that can be presented for authentication by simply holding their NFC-enabled BlackBerry smartphone in front of a reader, just like they do today with a physical iCLASS smartcard.

“NFC technology will enable many new and exciting capabilities for BlackBerry smartphones and we are very pleased to be working with HID Global to be the first to bring a host of secure identity and mobile access control capabilities to NFC-enabled smartphones,” said Andrew Bocking, vice president, Handheld Software Product Management at RIM.

Pilots using BlackBerry smartphones activated with iCLASS digital credentials will be conducted this year, and HID Global expects that its embedded iCLASS technology will be generally available for the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 and BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360 smartphones in early 2012.