HID Global Simplifies China Unicom’s SIM Card Issuance Process With Smart Card Readers
HID Global recently announced that China Unicom has installed HID Global’s OMNIKEY 1021 desktop smart card readers at its stores in more than 20 provinces and cities across the country.
By incorporating OMNIKEY 1021 readers in its business operating system to read/write SIM cards, China Unicom has greatly simplified the SIM card issuance process and improved the efficiency of frontline customer service staff. The readers have also eliminated mobile number configuration and hence reduced SIM card inventory levels. Popular applications can be embedded into SIM cards during card issuance, further enhancing customer satisfaction.
As of today, HID Global has delivered 80,000 OMNIKEY 1021 desktop smart card reader units to China Unicom. With this smart card reader, the customer service staff can personalize a blank SIM card with a mobile number and other optional services on the spot. China Unicom has also reduced SIM card inventory levels by eliminating mobile number configuration on SIM cards. It is estimated that the total SIM card orders across the country will be decreased by 8 to 10 million per quarter.
“Desktop smart card readers are the management tool that telecommunications operators will heavily invest in. As our operations and customers span across the country, we needed a system that offered a high level of compatibility along with reliable quality and ease of use,” said Gu Dingming, China Unicom’s business supervisor. “The OMNIKEY 1021 desktop smart card reader encompasses powerful features, high data transmission speed and fast read/write capability, enabling a quick turnaround time at the frontline. Additionally, the reader supports major operating systems, from Windows platforms to Linux and Mac OS. By the time we need to upgrade the system, we can simply download firmware updates online without the frustration of installing new readers or replacing any parts.”
HID’s OMNIKEY 1021 desktop smart card reader will fuel the growth of China Unicom’s personalization services. With robust data transmission speed, the readers can quickly upload large amounts of data to SIM cards, which enables China Unicom to develop a series of personalized SIM card applications. Users can personalize the STK menu of their SIM cards and install popular applications during SIM card issuance, adding greater convenience to the users.
“We are pleased that China Unicom has selected HID Global as its desktop smart card reader supplier to address its growing demands for speedy frontline operations and personalized service,” said Tim Phipps, HID Global’s vice president of logical access in Asia Pacific. “HID is committed to providing innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of Chinese customer.”