Advanced Authentication
To maximize the number of users and WiFi sessions by offering the fullest range of simple and convenient user authentication methods. In particular infrequent visitors to a specific hotspot are more likely to take advantage of your services if payment is simple and convenient.
Whilst Orbyte comes enabled for the most common forms of login and authentication as standard, two valuable additional authentication methods are available as an add on:
- Orbyte Cell phone Gateway
- EAP-SIM extension
Orbyte Cell phone Gateway
When a user is asked for the username and password by the login window, the user simply enters his/her mobile phone number in the username field. A Password - valid for that specific WiFi access session only - is then sent to the user’s cell phone as an SMS. The Orbyte Cell phone Gateway (OCG) enables the Single Session Password Service by enabling its delivery as an SMS.
The OCG is a software feature that upgrades your Orbyte platform and provides connectivity to an SMS Gateway. The OCG supervises the communication between Orbyte and mobile operators’ Short Message Service Center.
The data is sent to the Orbyte Service Controller in the core system which recognizes the username as a mobile telephone number and generates a password. The appropriate charging information is then sent to the core system which passes the information on to the mobile operator’s system where billing details are recorded.
This procedure makes it possible to charge for the WiFi access session on the user’s mobile invoice thus avoiding the need for additional billing or payment relationships.
EAP-SIM extension (OSC+)
SIM card based authentication provides your public WiFi users with an additional convenient authentication and payment method. With the OSC+ feature enabled, your customers will enjoy a broader coverage since you can now cater for non 1x locations in your home network as well as cooperating partners networks.
Currently, EAP-SIM authentication standard developed by IETF has been implemented by a number of equipment vendors and accepted by mobile operators and service aggregators.
However, all EAP-SIM solutions available on the market require 802.1x infrastructure to be deployed at the hotspots. This is a very significant limiting factor since 802.1x is not a widely deployed technology in the public WiFi space. To make EAP-SIM authentication commercially viable, a solution is needed to seamlessly extend the authentication to legacy hotspots.
Birdstep has developed Orbyte Service Controller + (OSC+). This is a software feature that upgrades your core system to extend SIM based authentication service to any hotspot, regardless of the underlying infrastructure. This solution allows all SIM authentications to be handled by the standard-compliant EAP-SIM server.
The OSC+ allows seamless switching from 802.1x to non-802.1x environment, while using the EAP-SIM authentication mechanism in both networks.
With the OSC+ feature deployed, you can roll out network-wide SIM authentication ensuring a solution even when 802.1x is not supported. An additional benefit is that this also goes for roaming partners – you also enable EAP-SIM at your roaming partners’ non 802.1x locations.
Summary:
- Simplify access for new and frequent customers
- Upgrade your Orbyte Service Controller with the advanced authentication features
- Increase your SIM authentication coverage to non 1x locations and roaming partners
- Software features for easy installation and quick time to market