My take on how Smart Plug n Talk does it.

Hmm, this blog should have been posted December last year, however I was not able to finished it. So here it goes..

December 2008, Smart launched it's Plug 'n Talk service. The premise of the service is to use your Smart SIM to call and send SMS over the Internet without your GSM phone. So how it is done?

Dissecting the service, it has SIM authentication over IP, voice call and SMS. The voice call is VOIP, while the SMS is the same SMS but the medium of transport is IP.

However, to make use of the SIM, like be able to call from PC to Mobile and vice-versa and at the same time get billed from the SIM's load (yes you still need to top-up the SIM to use the service-- it is not free :D ), the SIM should be authenticated and register in the mobile operator's system. To authenticate the SIM without using your mobile device and still be online on the mobile network perspective,the technology EAP-SIM could be playing in this scenario. EAP-SIM is Extensible Authentication Protocol for GSM Subscriber Identity Module.

EAP have been around and used in the other wireless technology, the WiFi for wireless and even for wired system.

Since it connects and authenticates over IP to Operator's GSM network, there should be a gateway between IP to SS7.

The authentication server could be a RADIUS server that authenticates, authorizes and accounts the SIM usage over IP. This is almost the same with the HLR (Home Location Register) of the mobile network.

So how? In GSM network HLR database holds the IMSI and the MSISDN (acronyms used in mobile domain), the mapping of the actual dial-able number and the unique number inside your SIM plus the shared secret key called "ki"and other subscribers information. So when a SIM gets online by powering your mobile phone, it authenticates through the HLR.

In WiFI or in fixed network, the access control is done on controlled port access device. i.e. wifi access points, LAN switches, firewalls or even routers. They are called the authenticator.

While software needs to be installed or configured on the client side. This is called the supplicant (Smart Plug n Talk). Until the client is authenticated, the supplicant can only communicate with the RADIUS Server using the EAP. EAP supports variety of authentication methods including EAP-SIM authentication.

So a RADIUS can be the gateway between IP netwrok to GSM network. This RADIUS server somehow acts as a VLR (Visitor Location Register). So the SIM looks like in roaming mode.

So when inserting the Plug 'n Talk (with SIM) to notebook or desktop, it authenticates back to GSM network of Smart through IP based AAA server (RADIUS) that acts as VLR and gateway. This communication passes through IP, the basic language of the Internet.

So there it is, my take on how possibly Smart is doing it. Don't ask me the details for it is not as easy as you might think. :)

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Mobile Banking Best Practices

Last year I was invited to talk about Mobile Banking security and best practices. The event was organized and attended by BAIPHIL, a bankers association. The event was well attended and saw familiar faces during the event.

I discussed about using SMS in mobile banking. Although SMS is one great tool to use for Mobile Banking, I displayed that SMS is not quite secure if not properly implemented.

I demonstrated how I managed to change the SMS' originating mobile number to a different number, thus successfully faking a message. The same time, I discussed also the solution for this one. Read more!

Testing the Chrome Browser

Ok, ok, I will blog about Chrome.

I tried to resist on making blog on Google's latest but I needed to check it out. Browser war have come and gone and now this new kid on the block just started it again.

I downloaded the installer and for some reason when I ran the installer while my Firefox browser is still active my PC's Internet was suddenly got disconnected. I have to restart the machine.


I already read several comments about Chrome, the style, the color and performance. Just like any other browser that's just started, it has birth pains. Existing plug-ins I have in my Firefox are not by default running or not yet supported. I have to download them all over again.

Just like IM, I already have several browsers installed, Firefox, Safari, IE and now Chrome.

I find Chrome easy to use, lighweight and fast but I'll give it more time and I hope overtime it will not become memory hog just like Firefox.

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@Nokia Forum Code Camp

Last two days, August 26, 27 was the Nokia Forum Code Camp, sort of preparation for developers on the Globe Challange. They held the place in Intercon Hotel and the place was attended by many developers. Saw some familiar faces but most are new to me.

On this Code Camp, we got interested on severals topics, there are swell ideas that are great to incorporate to projects.

Topics like SVG and GPS on Nokia Selected Symbian phones were most interesting part of the Code camp. Read more!

Startup is bad for your Health

Being in a good bill of health is the best investment for yourself and for your family. When starting up a company, the founders and the employee pioneers forget or just ignore this one. Not that they do it intentionally but due to to necessity. With several startups under my belt, I have my own tales and horror stories.


Startup company is always an informal company, mostly if the company is just small and no big funding to boot. The organization is always almost flat and execution is fast, although if it involves buying something it will depends on the budget. Most startup are top-heavy, the founders that act as CEO, CTO and COO. Then some top-notch pioneering employees pirated or hired from other companies. All of my startup company days were in IT industry, where the products or services are always into niche market. This where the problem starts, most of the time your target customers are not segmented, doesn't even know what you are pitching to them and no budget for it since they don't know what it is all about.Development, customization, integration and understanding of customer's system is very vital for startup company and the customer themselves. Customer doesn't want to tell you all about their system, but startup needs it. Customer's doesn't want any changes and surprises to their existing implementation of technologies but startup services and products always require changes and customization. This introduces long hours of work, stress and pressure to make the system work or else the company will close shop. Tell that to your wife and you will double the problem.

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Open is the Word of the Day

Today is a long day for me. There are two prominent names in the IT industry that are publicly presenting their business direction. Globe Telecom and Microsoft, two big names opening their doors to local developers.

In Globe, this is the second day of their Globe Innovation Convention being held in Edsa Shangrila. There are more developers this time than their last event.

While Microsoft is being held at MCafe in Makati City. See pictures after the jump.


These two companies have the same direction, ironically, our company have done already the preliminary projects of something like this before this public announcement of these companies.

Both initiatives are open to developers, Globe and Microsoft provides laboratories that a small developer can use to test their wares. A very good move, this will surely make software and mobile development much better than years before.

Pictures from Globe Convention:
















Pictures from Microsoft:

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iPhone 3G Launching on August 22 under Globe Banner

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Apple addict, Apple iPhone 3G will be landing on August 22, under the banner of Globe Telecom. Check the official site www.iphone3g.globe.com.ph.

Although iPhone have been available for quite a while here in grey market but it doesn't stop Globe in bringing-in the iPhone 3G version. We will see how this device will fare on the market and there will be some lining up on Globe's door. Wow, look at the plans available.

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Globe Innovation Convention

Today is the first day of the Globe Innovation Convention in Edsa Shangrila, it is a two-day event, the first day is gears toward the business area of the innovation and tomorrow is made for VAS providers, developers and programmers. This is one of the series that Globe's have been doing on their Globe Labs Innovation initiative, last June 6, 2008 Globe Labs awarded the winners for their first 3G Multimedia Challenge. We won the grand price of that contest of Globe Labs.

Invited are some 700 businessmen and Globe Executives. It looks like an IT convention with all the IT vendors' booths lined up in and speakers ready to do their spiel on technology and products. It is a whole day event, it supposed to start at 8:30am, but it was delayed. Even the lunch was delayed.:(

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Cuil, more than meets the Eye?

Every so often every 5 to 7 years, the Internet as we know it is disrupted by great idea and by great invention. Today, several bloggers, pro or not are discussing Cuil, the latest Search Engine in town. It boost that it is three times as many than Google and ten times as many than Microsoft.

It proud itself of not peeking on users viewing history, thus making your searching always private.

So how will this new search engine company going to dislodge the current king of searches?

Checking their website, www.cuil.com I checked the features and they are as follows;

Drilldowns
Roll-over definitions
Tabs
Navigation Suggestions

Their philosopy;

"The Internet is getting bigger and more disorganized every day. Cuil’s goal is to solve the two great problems of search: how to index the whole Internet—not just part of it—and how to analyze and sort out its pages so you get relevant results."

So there you go, they will index the whole Internet.

For me, I will just have to wait and see.

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Another offer from Microsoft to Yahoo!

Microsoft and Icahn on new offer to Yahoo! buying the search business. Yahoo board rejected the offer. The score 0-2. :P

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/07/13/microsoft-msft-makes-another-offer-for-yahoo-with-icahn/
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