HID Global Touts Using NFC-Enabled Smartphones for Physical Access Control
- By Brent Dirks
- Sep 20, 2011
Nothing goes together like college students and cell phones.
And at a briefing at ASIS on Monday, HID Global touted a pilot program with Arizona State University that allowed a group of 32 students to use NFC-enabled phones to literally open doors as a physical access control device.
HID Global President Denis Hebert said that NFC can easily be thought of as a compliment to other physical access control technologies. For example, using a phone as a credential in an airport setting might not be feasible, but it makes much more sense on a college campus like ASU.
Instead of using a contactless smart card to enter dorms and dorm rooms, the students in the pilot used their phones enabled with NFC technology.
"The Sun Card (access control card) is something that they will lose," said Laura Ploughe, director of business applications and fiscal control at Arizona State University. "More than half of our students loose their card before school starts. It is such a convenience that they can carry the mobile device and use it for access control."
Along with the pilot program, HID also announced that two devices from smartphone maker Research in Motion -- the new BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 and BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360 -- will support iCLASS digital keys and mobile secure identity.
"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."
After a pilot program, HID officials said that they expect the iCLASS technology will be available on both phones in early 2012.
About the Author
Brent Dirks is senior e-news/Web editor for Security Products and Network-Centric Security magazines.