'Best NFC Service of 2008' Awarded to VingCard

Global security leader receives 'First Place' for its Signature RFID/NFC solution at the European NF

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. October 14, 2008

PARIS, France, May 13, 2008. The NFC Forum has recently named Signature RFID/NFC by VingCard, "The Best NFC Service of the Year 2008." Signature RFID/NFC is a hospitality security system that allows hotel guests with Near Field Communication-enabled cell phones to securely receive over the air their encrypted room key in order to bypass the check-in/-out process and unlock their room doors via mobile device. VingCard Elsafe, a company of ASSA ABLOY Hospitality (the recognized world leader of hotel security technology), provides electronic-locking systems and in-room safe solutions to more than 35,000 hotels worldwide.

Signature RFID/NFC was chosen from among 20 finalists and more than 50 entries from 21 countries. Achieving First Place in the Commercial Track Category, the award was presented to Pascal Metivier, President of ASSA ABLOY Hospitality EMEA and Latin America, at the WIMA European NFC Developers Summit during the "Touching the Future: NFC Forum Global Competition Finals & Awards Ceremony" April 29 in Monaco. The competition was designed to promote the development and deployment of innovative and exemplary NFC services.

An informational video showcasing the convenience of the check-in/check-out process using a guest's NFC-compatible cell phone via Signature RFID/NFC, and how the system drives room sales to direct channels and ultimately improves margins and the hotel's bottom line, is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUHOOUBJr6s.

"We are honored that Signature RFID/NFC has been recognized as 'The Best' NFC service in the global marketplace by such a prestigious group," Metivier said. "To be ranked No. 1 from among the esteemed companies that competed through this process validates our commitment to developing the most secure, flexible solutions based on advanced technologies. When a jury of experts from the NFC community and the academic arena say your solution is unsurpassed, there is no higher complement."

The NFC Forum (www.nfc-forum.org) is a non-profit industry association developed to advance the use of NFC technology. Near Field Communication (NFC) is a standards-based, short-range wireless connectivity technology that enables simple and safe two-way interactions between electronic devices. NFC technology allows consumers to perform contactless transactions, access digital content and connect devices with the simplicity of a single touch. NFC technology provides global interoperability of contactless identification and interconnection technologies.

As part of a joint collaboration with NXP (founded by Philips), VODAFONE and THE HUMAN CHAIN, VingCard developed the application for the NFC enabled phone to receive the encrypted room key and work as an RFID carrier to operate with Signature RFID electronic locks.

"We congratulate VingCard for prevailing against dozens of very competitive solutions submitted this year," said Gerhard Romen, vice chairman of the NFC Forum, a non-profit industry association that advances the use of NFC technology. "This award demonstrates how effective NFC technology can be in supporting solutions to real-world problems."