| Press Release |
| For more information contact: Orange Communications SA Therese Wenger Tel. +41 78 787 1016 therese.wenger@orange.ch Or TOGEWAnet AG Bruno Chiarelli Tel. +41 31 341 1138 bruno.chiarelli@togewanet.com For Immediate Release |
| Orange and TOGEWAnet (WeRoam®) achieve major breakthrough in WLAN roaming |
| World first live EAP SIM Roaming according to the GSMA standard realized |
| Berne, Switzerland – 13 October 2003. Orange (Liechtenstein) AG, which is fully owned by Orange Communications SA, the second biggest mobile operator in Switzerland and TOGEWAnet the leader for SIM based WLAN Roaming today announced successful implementation of EAP SIM based authentication against Orange's live and operational subscriber database (HLR). EAP SIM is promoted by the GSM Association to be the future standard for user authentication in WLAN roaming and is based on using a standard SIM card found in any GSM mobile phone combined with an extended radius protocol. EAP SIM not only benefits from using a renown and secure token but also introduces encrypted authentication for improved user log-in security. Further advantages can be found in full reuse of the mobile operators provisioning systems minimizing the necessary investments. Peter Trinkl, Managing Director of Orange (Liechtenstein) AG says, “Introducing EAP SIM user authentication is an important step improving and securing the log-in procedure for WLAN roaming. We are proud to be partner of TOGEWAnet in the developments and market introduction of this leading technology”. Wireless internet access is already part of the global Orange services. The Orange France Wi-Fi network of branded wireless hotspots are already available at locations such as hotels, conference centres in France and Air France lounges across the world. Working with TOGEWAnet further increases the international service offering. Toni Stadelmann, CEO TOGEWAnet says, “Once more we affirm the concept of WeRoam® as an open platform for WLAN roaming supporting all relevant standards of user authentication. We are now in a unique position with our WeRoam® Services, being the first to offer EAP SIM Roaming. About Orange Orange Communications SA, Switzerland took over Orange (Liechtenstein) AG [former VIAG EuroPlatform AG], with its premises in Balzers, Principality of Liechtenstein. The takeover agreement between VIAG Interkom GmbH & Co. (now O2 (Germany) GmbH & Co.) and Orange Communications SA was signed end of March 2002. Orange (Liechtenstein) AG owns a licence to operate a 1800 MHz GSM and a UMTS mobile network. Orange (Liechtenstein) AG has built a very high-quality mobile phone infrastructure in the Principality of Liechtenstein. Orange Communications AG, Lausanne, is 100 % owned by Orange SA/France Telecom Group. On the 29th May 1998 the Federal Communications Office (BAKOM) granted Orange a license to build and operate an 1800 MHz GSM mobile network. On 29th June 1999 Orange entered the Swiss market as a provider and its network now covers already over 98% of the Swiss population. In December 2000 Orange acquired one of the four UMTS licenses. At the end of 2002 Orange achieved total revenue of 1'018 million francs and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 80.7 million francs. By the end of June 2003 Orange had 1'003'000 customers, had invested over 3 billion francs and employs 1500 people. For more information on Orange, go to www.orange.ch . About TOGEWAnet The Swiss company TOGEWAnet AG, established in 2001 and owned by TOGEWA Holding, specialises in mobility management and roaming optimisation solutions for the mobile and wireless telecommunications sector. TOGEWAnet' WeRoam service facilitates the seamless integration of WLAN and GSM network technologies, enabling global roaming for WLAN services and thereafter facilitating automatic and secure roaming between WLAN, GSM and GPRS. Key solutions found in GSM technology have been adopted to make up the WeRoam® service, which provides secure authentication, signaling conversion, clearing and settlement services (based on TAP - Transferred Account Procedure) and management of contractual roaming agreements. This positions WeRoam® as the only open roaming platform supporting all relevant authentication methods for WLAN Roaming such as SIM, Radius and EAP SIM. Registration is pending to patent WeRoam®' innovative SIM based WLAN roaming technology. The subscriber will benefit from greater roaming coverage and the convenience of swapping between different standards with the additional advantage of having a single identity, thus receiving only one bill from his home network operator despite having visited a number of operators and countries and having used different mobile standards. Close ties with its' sister company, Comfone AG, also founded by the umbrella company of TOGEWA Group, allow TOGEWAnet to benefit from Comfone' depth of experience in offering a wide range of roaming services to GSM operators. For more information, please visit www.weroam.com |
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