Bharti to join internet security major VeriSign

NEW DELHI: India’s largest private telecom operator, Bharti Airtel is set to enter into a deal with yet another global major. Airtel and internet solutions and security major, VeriSign will sign an MoU this week, under which the latter will extend its digital identity protection and fraud detection services to Bharti, who in turn will pass it on to its subscribers and partners.

Additionally, as part of the partnership, Bharti Airtel will utilize a number of VeriSign’s capabilities to improve significantly the internal capabilities of its infrastructure and to serve better the growing customers. Importantly, Bharti Airtel and VeriSign will offer co-branded services on a revenue-share basis.

Besides, the MoU will also permit Bharti to become an issuing authority for SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certification in India. Any business that provides solutions or transactions on the internet, if it is SSL certified, implies the transaction is secure.

“The deal also envisages that VeriSign will help Bharti develop the next-generation internet infrastructure in the Indian market. Using Bharti’s infrastructure like its data centres, VeriSign will also provide Internet security,” says the Bharti CIO and director (IT & Innovation), Dr Jai Menon. At the same time, VeriSign, will also offer security to various IT platforms that Bharti and IBM are jointly developing.

Another focus area would be creating infrastructure to enable e-commerce around identity management. The two partners realize a huge challenge is in promoting the idea of online transactions being safe. “A lot of our effort goes into making people comfortable with the idea of transacting on the Internet and the mobile phone,” Chris Parsons, senior VP, global channel, VeriSign, told ET.

For VeriSign, the deal is a solution to its year-long search for a major strategic partner to enter into India in a big way. “The partnership with Bharti is one of our major partnerships on a global basis. We will jointly go to market,” Mr Parsons added.