SMART METRO signs landmark agreements with Sony Corporation and Fujisoft Inc
Smart Metro, a Sri Lankan based International Software Development Company signed two landmark agreements with Sony Corporation and Fujisoft Inc, Japan to become Sri Lanka’s sole agent for the distribution and application of SONY’s Near Filed Communication Technology widely known as ‘FeliCa’ and Fujisoft ‘s Finger-vein Biometric Authentication technology. Broadly the agreements will allow Smart Metro to provide a wide range of products and applications based on the above technologies.
“The partnership between Smart Metro with Sony and Fujisoft is the ultimate win-win scenario,” said Mr. Sajeewa Hendawitharana, CEO of Smart Metro. “Our partnership with Sony will provide for wider deployment of exciting NFC options ranging from the tea, transport, health, defense and many more than any other solution on the market. The partnership with Fujisoft Inc allows Smart Metro to market Smart Authentication that uses the finger-vein authentication which in today’s world is the most secure form of authentication.”
Explaining the ambitious venture, Atheeq Ansar, the Chief Operations Officer for Smart Metro said that the NFC is a simple intuitive technology which allows consumers to interact securely with various applications in different domains with a simple touch. The touch-based interactions provide access to content and services by touching smart objects and connecting devices by holding them next to each other.
Smart Metro’s partnership with Sony will make it the first Sri Lankan company to have sole rights and access to this vast knowledge base.
“We are very pleased to have come to agreement with Smart Metro. Using Sony’s FeliCa card and NFC mobile contactless experience, we will ensure that we can make a positive contribution to improve Smart Metro’s provisioning of a common platform for contactless payment service. From this first step with Smart Metro we will further expand the FeliCa business in the Sri Lankan market.” Toshio Yoshihara head of SONY FeliCa division said.
Sony FeliCa technology is widely used the world over with more than 250 million cards and mobile phones with embedded FeliCa chip in circulation. The FeliCa cards and other form factors allow them to be used in various domains for operations such as secure access control, fast transit and other payments.
Chan Gunawardena, Chief Information Officer of Smart Metro said the SONY FeliCa cards will be used to input static and semi-static data elements to the NFC enabled data acquisition devices securely and accurately instead of time consuming processes of manual data entry.
Mr.Gunawardena stated that they will also partner with Commercial bank which will become the first ever bank to introduce a hybrid card with EMV contact and FeliCa contactless multi application chip. This hybrid card will function as a debit card using its contact chip while the FeliCa chip will make the card to independently function as an Identity/ Loyalty Card, Electronic purse, Travel card and the like.
Speaking on the venture, Commercial Bank Chief Operating Officer S. Renganathan said that “the tea industry is a vital constituent of Sri Lanka’s export economy, and providing adequate infrastructure facilities for those who are engaged in the industry is a critical requirement. Commercial Bank is therefore delighted to join with Smart Metro to support the tea leaves suppliers by powering up the”Smart Tea Procurement System”.
Smart Metro also entered into an agreement with Fujisoft Inc, Japan’s largest independent System Integrator. An official from Fujisoft explained that under this unique alliance, Smart Metro will distribute a wide range of Biometric Authentication units and various other products and solutions from Fujisoft Inc in Sri Lanka and Maldives.
“Through this alliance we bring together our collective strengths to serve broader range of customers with industry leading products and solutions from Japan. Together, Fujisoft Inc and Smart Metro will help clients by collaborating on existing solutions and developing offerings to enable companies to meet new competition, adapt to disruptive market forces and lead innovation. We are confident of unlocking new opportunities in the Sri Lankan and the Maldives market through this endeavor.”
About Smart Metro
Smart Metro was founded at the beginning of 2011 and registered in the year 2013 by a team of enthusiastic specialists who wanted to introduce innovative NFC based IT products Today the company has not only branched into transportation but several other sectors such as l, Security, Procurement, Order Collection & delivery, Service Call Management, Maintenance Invoicing etc.
About Fujisoft Inc
Fujisoft Inc core competence lies in embedded and control technologies and over the last 46 years Fujisoft has been instrumental in introducing innovative solutions across many different industries, including Telecoms, Financial, Consumer Electronics, Medical, Automotive, Logistics, and Healthcare etc.
About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications, semiconductor and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, pictures and computer entertainment operations make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world.
