Tag Archive for: Cards

Biometric cards rolling out for national and refugee ID systems, boosting company earnings

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Biometrics and digital ID

Biometric cards for payments, digital ID and refugee benefits are the theme of the week’s top industry news. Idex Biometrics shares are now available to more U.S. investors, and both Idex and Zwipe announced 2020 results showing positive earnings trends. National digital ID cards with embedded biometrics are coming for Finland, while the government of Pakistan and UNHCR are working to maintain service access for refugees by registering biometric cards.

Most read biometrics news this week

Digital ID plans in Finland, Germany and Mexico made up the most-read story of the week on Biometric Update. Finland is working on a digital ID card for easier identity credential access and authentication to services, while Germany is planning to allow mobile device-based version of government IDs to be used from the fall of this year, and new legislation brings Mexico one step closer to introducing a digital ID card.

U.S. investors will be able to buy Idex Biometrics stock through the Nasdaq as of March 1, giving them a relatively direct way to invest in biometric payment cards, after 800,000 American Depository Shares (ADSs) were registered with the SEC. Each ADS consists of 75 ordinary shares, which are up over 50 percent on the Oslo Børs in the last three months.

Idex and Zwipe’s earnings reports for the fourth quarter and full-year 2020 show revenue gains and narrowing losses compared to the previous year, as both companies cut operating costs. In addition to the biometric payment cards opportunity, Idex’ Graziani notes the potential for biometric hardware wallets for China’s digital currency as a potential growth opportunity.

Russia’s government continues to work towards opening up its biometric banking registry, but it is facing significant adoption challenges. The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has reported major growth in downloads for its app with biometric security since it launched new account registration six months ago, while Cambodia’s Acleda Bank has adopted biometrics for account opening and bank card printing at ATMs, and DBS Bank has adopted Singapore’s SingPass for online business account opening with biometrics.

As trials and production…

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Hong Kong eyes push on mobile phone SIM cards that could stoke privacy fears, IT News, ET CIO

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HONG KONG: Hong Kong is canvassing public opinion over a real-name registration system for mobile phone SIM cards, in a bid to fight crime in the Chinese-ruled city, it said on Friday, a move that is likely to stoke concerns over privacy.

Many countries have such registration systems, but some people in Hong Kong fear such a change could assist a crackdown on dissent that began with Beijing’s imposition of a sweeping national security law last year.

Currently only mobile users on SIM service contracts must register actual personal details in Hong Kong, though anyone can buy a pre-paid SIM card from most convenience stores.

The rule aims to keep criminals from concealing their identities and put a stop to a “common tool used…in committing serious and violent crimes that threaten public safety,” the government said in a statement.

It has set a Feb. 28 deadline for comment on the proposed compulsory registration, which would require users to furnish full names and an identity document.

In recent months, China has bolstered its security apparatus in the former British colony, creating a security agency with broad powers beyond the scrutiny of the courts.

The tighter measures come despite the promise of a high degree of autonomy from Beijing when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Hong Kong has one of Asia’s highest smartphone penetration rates, at almost 80% of its population of 7.5 million. Its only regional peers are other developed economies, such as Singapore and South Korea.

In 2019, Hong Kong had about 14.5 million pre-paid SIM card subscribers, an increase of 16.6% on the year, says German database firm Statista.

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Coronavirus Leads to More Use of Contactless Credit Cards and Mobile Payments Despite Cost and Security Concerns – Business Wire

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Coronavirus Leads to More Use of Contactless Credit Cards and Mobile Payments Despite Cost and Security Concerns  Business Wire
“mobile security news” – read more

Instead of COVID-19 Hazard Pay, Spectrum Is Giving Its Repair Techs $25 Gift Cards To Closed Restaurants

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Despite its obvious reputational problems, Comcast has actually been stepping up for its workers during the COVID-19 crisis, paying its employees hazard pay, allowing unnecessary personnel to work at home, and closing at least some of its retail locations.

Charter Spectrum, the nation’s second biggest cable provider, is another story entirely.

The company spent much of last week dealing with a backlash among employees who say the company is putting both its employees and local customers at risk. Charter initially refused to let employees who didn’t need to be in the company’s offices to work from home, despite having the capability. Even in instances where there were positive COVID-19 tests at Charter offices, the company still initially refused to let employees work from home. Only when the press got involved did Charter begin to bend, and even then it’s still not letting all non-essential workers work remotely.

Charter employees say they’re not getting hazard pay or adequate protective gear to do installs in customer homes. Instead, the company apparently thought it would be a good idea to give them a gift card. Not just any gift card, mind you, but a $ 25 gift card to a restaurant they probably can’t visit anyway:

“Spectrum technicians connecting cable and internet for customers during the coronavirus outbreak will receive a $ 25 gift card for a local restaurant as a “token of our appreciation” from management, after staff called for hazard pay and protective equipment.

“These gift cards never expire, so if you choose a restaurant that is currently not open, the card will remain valid for future use,” read the Monday night internal staff email from Tom Adams, the executive vice president of field operations. “Please take some time out of your busy day to enjoy a meal and recharge.”

How generous. Needless to say, employees aren’t particularly impressed:

“Would you do it for $ 25?” asked a field technician from Irwindale, California, who asked to remain anonymous, along with the other technicians quoted in this story, to protect his employment. He called Spectrum management “vultures.”

While most experts believe the internet should largely hold up under the strain of widespread COVID-19 quarantines, it’s going to be hard to keep many residential broadband connections operational with management displaying such an incredible knack for incompetence and penny pinching.

Techdirt.