#118 Ray Octaviano: How Partnerships Evolve with Innovation

Have you ever wondered why, when you sign up for a mobile phone service, the carrier gives you a physical SIM card to insert into your phone?  IDEMIA has asked the same question!  And they are in the process of driving a massive transformation converting those little SIM chips to a new standard, making them fully digital - known as an eSIM.

Of course, that transformation doesn’t happen without its own set of challenges that include how to make sure you align all of your partners around a new set of standards, and how do you integrate into partner systems to provide a seamless experience for your common customers.

In this episode, Ray Octaviano, Vice President and Head of Business Development for North American Mobile Operators at IDEMIA, joins Ecosystem Aces and discusses how IDEMIA and their partners work on the digital transformations of SIM cards and authentication services.

Ray shares:

• How the partnership requirements for physical SIM cards differ from eSIM cards.
• How a customer-driven approach means also catering to partners.
• How IDEMIA works with existing partners to create authentication services.

How Digitization Amplifies Partnership Requirements

Partnership requirements evolve with the product. When it comes to physical SIM cards, IDEMIA’s collaboration with partners has been largely standardized. Mobile operators and standards bodies have determined a single process for how SIM cards interact with their device and authenticate with their network. This means that for physical SIM cards IDEMIA doesn't have to greatly vary how they work with partners for each mobile operator.

However, with the advent of advanced eSIM protocols that have digitized the previously physical SIM cards, IDEMIA has to interact with back-end platforms within hundreds of mobile operators’ networks. Because the company works with over 500 mobile operator customers around the world, IDEMIA has to cater to many different providers with specific requirements for their back-end systems.

In addition to this, device manufacturers are implementing their own ways for customers to download eSIM cards. While this helps simplify the user experience, the process is not standardized, so working with partners on eSIM cards can be exponentially more challenging.

Catering to both Customers and Partners

The customer comes first -- but this can only happen if partners are also satisfied. IDEMIA works on innovations to accommodate products and services that their mobile operators want to enable. However, the process of creating these innovations requires work with several partners that have their own specific requirements.

For example, IDEMIA asks mobile operators about which devices they want their service to be enabled on. But since different devices have their own requirements, the company also has to collaborate with each of the device manufacturers to ensure that IDEMIA’s platform is compatible with the device specifications and flows. Only after this collaboration can IDEMIA work on providing the service of their mobile operators.

Creating Authentication Services

Another major part of IDEMIA’s business is providing ID services for state and local governments.  This is another area of massive digital transformation with its own set of challenges around a patchwork of national, state, and local laws and guidelines as well as the challenge of user requirements and acceptance of digital forms of ID.

With more digital transactions taking place in the new climate, IDEMIA has assisted both government and private entities to ensure authentication with the best possible customer experience. In order to provide this service, IDEMIA collaborated with many partners, requiring both business process as well as technical integration across systems and processes.

IDEMIA used their partnerships with mobile operators, service providers, and other information companies to construct a platform where information can be quickly cross-referenced across each of the partners’ databases. Depending on the use case of the company or the government, IDEMIA’s platform adjusts the level of authentication required for each digital transaction.

To contact the host, Chip Rodgers, with topic ideas, suggest a guest, or join the conversation about alliances, he can be reached by:

Email: chip@workspan.com

Twitter: @chiprodgers

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chiprodgers

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