HID Global Finishes NFC Pilot Program That Opens Doors in an Enterprise

HID Global finished two pilot programs designed to test mobile access control using Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled devices. The testing allowed employees to use their smartphones and remotely open doors throughout a building using the NFC technology without compromising security.

HID Global has been developing solutions for the delivery of secure identity platforms for years. The company said its “dedicated to ensuring that when customers purchase Genuine HD products and solutions, they are purchasing absolute confidence in performance, value, and service.” 

The company has developed everything from cashless payment and embedded solutions to identity assurance and genuine HD technology. Now, HID plans to use its new iClass SE platform including its iClass Seos credentials to enhance the smart devices around NFC technology.

NFC is a set of standards currently used on smartphone devices and other mobile devices that allow them to establish communication with each other by touching them or bringing them near one another. Many smartphone devices have taken advantage of this technology and even created applications that transfer data by bumping the two devices together. HID plans on making it work with security devices.

In a recent statement, the company explained its piloting program. “HID Global’s multiclass SE readers replaced proximity readers at selected locations in both the Netflix and Good facilities, and pilot participants at each company were given Samsung (News - Alert) Galaxy S III handsets. The handsets were equipped with NFC capabilities and HID Global digital keys, so they could securely story and emulate user credentials and open doors by presenting the handsets to the HID Global readers,” said HID.

The results showed that more than 80 percent of Netflix participants felt the application to unlock a door was intuitive and easy to use. More than 83 percent of Good Technology (News - Alert) participants felt security was improved with the device. Participants from both companies seemed satisfied with the pilot program.

“These pilots with Netflix and Good Technology clearly demonstrated how a highly mobile workforce can receive digital keys over-the-air and to their phones and use them to open doors, just like they had previously been doing with their existing photo ID cards, keyfobs or tags,” said Debra Spitler, vice president of Mobile Access Solutions with HID Global. “As one pilot participant told me, ‘only having to carry one device for so many daily tasks is excellent.”

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