Aptilo Networks has launched its SIM Authentication Server, a product designed to enable automatic mobile data offload. The company said that “Nordic’s leading mobile operator” has already selected selected the Aptilo SIM Authentication Server to enable mobile data offloading through more than 4,000 Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the region.
The Aptilo SIM Authentication Server authenticates users via the SIM card (utilizing EAP-SIM/AKA) in their mobile device as they move from the 3G/LTE network to a Wi-Fi network. Users are authenticated based on the information retrieved from the Home Location Register (HLR) or Home Subscriber Server (HSS), which reside in the mobile core of the 3G/LTE network.
One of the key benefits of using SIM authentication is that it utilises 802.1x technology which is a standard method for encrypting user credentials and user data in the Wi-Fi session. In this manner the Wi-Fi networks become as secure as the 3G network, virtually eliminating the risk of eavesdropping or confidential information falling into the wrong hands.
The Aptilo SIM Authentication Server is one of the two pillars of Aptilo’s mobile data offloading solution; the award-winning Aptilo Service Management Platform (TM) – currently enabling carrier-class Wi-Fi networks for more than 120 operators worldwide – is the other. The pre-enabled integration between these two systems provides a best-in-class mobile data offloading solution for mobile operators. For users, this means an “invisible” and uninterrupted transfer from the cellular network to Wi-Fi. For mobile operators, this tight integration means that they can optimise resources across their cellular and Wi-Fi networks as users will automatically flow between the two and policy and charging control will be maintained.
“With our carrier-class Wi-Fi service management platform already deployed with 30 mobile operators worldwide, the demand from our customers to provide an optimised end-to-end solution for offloading to Wi-Fi that included SIM authentication was strong,” said Torbjorn Ward, CEO, Aptilo Networks. “Our holistic approach to mobile data offloading with integration toward the mobile core for authentication, policy and charging provides a best-in-class alternative for mobile operators while our SIM Authentication Server still can be integrated with any Wi-Fi service management system.”
Information about the Aptilo offload solution.