Anne-Francoise Pele EE Times (02/03/2010 4:03 AM EST)

PARIS — Gemalto NV (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) announced it has acquired Valimo Wireless Oy, Finnish mobile authentication company, for an undisclosed amount.

Valimo Wireless claimed it has enabled the use of two-channel, two-factor authentication based on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), combining an over the air platform (OTA) with a software client in the SIM to generate a legally binding electronic signature, any time, any place.

In practical terms, Valimo Mobile ID is said to allow mobile phone users to securely authenticate, digitally sign documents, confirm transactions and payments by entering a self-chosen passphrase or a PIN code. Valimo Mobile ID is used for online banking, mobile payments, e/m-commerce applications, governmental services, along with enterprise identity and access management.

Commenting on the growing need for mobile digital signature, Olivier Piou, CEO of Gemalto, declared: "Whether it is a high end smart phone or a more basic phone, the one digital object consumers always have with them is their mobile phone, and they clearly express their desire to use it more and more for convenience in their daily life. Enabling people to conveniently sign legally-valid transactions is opening up a whole range of new applications for the mobile, at the service of citizens."

Founded in 2000, Valimo Wireless is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland. Its owners include leading Nordic and North American investors.

Gemalto traces its origins back to 2005. Two of the world's largest suppliers of smart-cards, Gemplus and Axalto, then combined their resources in a share swap deal valued at about 928 million euros ($1 billion) that saw Axalto taking over its larger rival.

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