Success Story Biometric Verification System Introduction All major Telecom Companies; Warid, Telenor and Ufone, in accordance with the regulations of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), have successfully started implementing Biometric Verification System, at their Business Centres and Franchises all over Pakistan. This state-of-the-art Verification System is designed and deployed by AKSA-SDS. The system seeks authentication of all new customers by verifying their fingerprints using the Biometric functionality. After verification of their CNIC data held with NADRA, the SIM is activated against customer’s name. Challenges Telecom industry of Pakistan is long struggling with un-registered and un-verified SIMs. All regulatory and industry efforts made so far have proven insufficient to get rid of unregistered SIMs from the market. Despite all these steps and blockade of millions of SIMs, the issue of unregistered and illegal SIMs remained unresolved. PTA issued a strict policy, few months’ back that demanded all cellular companies to eliminate unregistered SIMS from the country. The main idea behind this policy was to minimise security risks and help combat national security threats like terrorism, extremism and sectarianism. Prior to AKSA’s Biometric Verification System deployment, SIM verification methods were all prone to frauds. There was a dire need to have some fool-proof Verification System that could verify customer’s credentials in real time against the National Database. Solution The Biometric Verification System by AKSA-SDS comes with modern fingerprint facility, where each customer is required to record thumb impression, which is then matched in real-time with NADRA’s [Type sidebar content. A sidebar is a standalone supplement to the main document. It is often aligned on the left or right of the page, or located at the top or bottom. Use the Text Box Tools tab to change the formatting of the sidebar text box. “Warid Telecom Type sidebar content. A considers sidebar is a standalone implementation of supplement the main policies and to regulations document. is often of national Itbenefit as aligned on the left or top priority, especially in right of the or the wake ofpage, the security located or situationatofthe ourtop country. bottom. the Text We, as aUse responsible Box Tools tab to change telecommunication the formattinghave of the organization, taken sidebar text box.] the step to implement Biometric Verification System at our outlets all over the country and will serve to provide security parameters.” said Mr. Muhammad AmjadRegional Head Franchise & Distribution. database. Doing so ensures no customer can purchase new SIM on CNIC that is fake or doesn’t belong to the customer. This has reduced the risk of SIM issuance against fake identity to almost zero. The Biometric Verification System is designed and engineered using experience of AKSA-SDS team with latest technologies and best practices in Biometrics and Enterprise Software Development. AKSA Biometric Verification System can be deployed at Franchises, Retailers and Business Centres for SIM selling. This is done in two ways; either by using biometric device connected to desktop PCs or through standalone Biometric Customized Gadgets. In either case, the customer’s Right Thumb, Right Index and Left Thumb, Left Index is authenticated before the issuance of SIM. The system ensures uniqueness checks designed to eliminate duplicates for issuing of new SIM and allows continuation of the sale process. Features The Biometric Verification System supports multiple application interfaces like: o Desktop based o Web based: o Smart Device o J2ME Supported Handsets: The Biometric device supports Communication interfaces like: o USB o Bluetooth The application supports Standard Web service over GPRS / EDGE / Wi-Fi The system is designed having multi-threaded architecture, ensuring robustness and scalability. All communication between client and server is SSL encrypted. Does not store any fingerprint information at any point during processing The Middleware of the Verification system uses connection pooling combined with a “queuing” mechanism for situation when resources are inadequate to cope with peak loads. It maintains logs for biometric verification process locally. Both the Server side/ Client side logs are generated. Client Lars Christian Luel, CEO, Telenor Pakistan said, “Biometric Verification “Warid Telecom System will help our considers company to address the implementation of issue of unregistered policies regulations SIMs andand prevent the of national as irregular usebenefit of cellular top priority, especially connections”. Mr. Lars in the wakePakistan of the security thanked situation of our country. Telecommunication We, as a responsible Authority, Ministry of telecommunication Information and organization, are Technology, National thankful AKSA for Databasetoand helping us in Authority Registration implementing Biometric (NADRA) and AKSA-SDS Verification System at for helping them in this our outlets all over the process. country which will serve to provide security parameters.” - Mr. Muhammad AmjadRegional Head Franchise & Distribution at Warid. side logs get uploaded automatically through GRPS / EDGE to middleware The system has a well designed, normalized database using Oracle 11g as RDBMS, allowing indexing with optimized queries. Conclusion As global security remains top of mind for the Pakistani Government, AKSA is proud to come up with this Biometric Verification Technology which supports the government in their strive to meet threats effectively by ensuring overall safety of all citizens. “The Biometric “AKSA’s Biometric Verification System has will Verification System help our company empowered few ofto the address the issue of major Telecom unregistered and Companies ofSIMs Pakistan prevent the irregular use to seek authentication of of cellular connections.” all its customers by said Telenor’s verifying their CEO, fingerLars Christian Luel. prints using the Biometrics functionality. This is yet another feather in Our Cap. Well Done AKSA!” -said Fazal Ahmed, CEO at AKSASDS.