This article was published on October 6, 2010

AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice offers first-of-its-kind level of mobile security


AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice offers first-of-its-kind level of mobile security

AT&T has launched a new service, “AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice,” providing the first carrier-provided two factor encryption service, which provides high-level security features for calls on the AT&T wireless network.

AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice is a service targeted at government agencies, law enforcement organizations, financial services institutions and international businesses, groups who need an enhanced level of security when making mobile calls.

According to ABI Research, as smartphone distribution among the mobile business customer base increases, mobile phone security features will become more prominent, particularly among mid- and large-size company employees. Smartphone penetration among mobile business customers in the United States is expected to increase from about 28% to about 45% by 2014.

In a survey conducted by AT&T in June, three out of four executives are concerned about how the use of mobile networks/devices could potentially impact security.

How does the new system work?  AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice combines KoolSpan’s TrustChip and SRA International’s One Vault Voice into the first carrier-provided two-factor encryption solution. TrustChip is a fully hardened, self-contained crypto engine inserted into the smartphone’s microSD slot. Embedded with AT&T TrustGroup, the KoolSpan TrustChip offers the strength of additional hardware authentication, enabling encrypted calling with a defined group of other AT&T TrustGroup users and can be managed over-the-air.

According to Ed Amosroso, Chief Security Officer at AT&T,

“With the adoption of smartphone use in government and businesses, it’s clear that the security ecosystem requires an approach that incorporates both wired and wireless.  We’re continuously working to stay ahead of evolving technologies and threats, and have a specialized team within AT&T Labs that is dedicated to investigating security challenges in the wireless space. AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice is the product of such innovation.”

AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice supports BlackBerry smartphones and Windows Phones on the AT&T wireless network. Unlike other encrypted voice systems, AT&T Encrypted Mobile Voice can operate in the over 190 countries globally where AT&T provides data roaming.

We’ve reached out to AT&T for further details regarding pricing and availability and will provide an update upon receipt.

Update: A representative of AT&T let us know the monthly pricing is $24.99 per month, per device.

Not bad in my opinion if you have super secure information to protect.

What are your thoughts on AT&T’s Encrypted Mobile Voice service?  Is it something you or your business is likely to use to add an additional layer of security when making mobile calls?

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