ITSD publishes reference information on Smart ID Card Readers
30 - 11 - 2002

The Information Technology Services Department (ITSD) has published reference information to help suppliers of computer and smart card equipment prepare for the introduction of the Multi-Application Smart Identity Card (Smart ID Card) which is scheduled to be rolled out by the Government starting in mid-2003.

The information is published through the ITSD's web site ( http://www.itsd.gov.hk/itsd/eng/smartidcard/ ). It includes the required mandatory and desirable features of smart card readers supporting the new Smart ID Card.

To ensure that suitable card readers are widely available on the market by the time the new Smart ID Cards are rolled out, ITSD has recently completed a survey among personal computer and smart card suppliers, based on the operational and technical features of the new Smart ID Card.

"One of the reasons for publishing this information is to arouse the awareness of the IT industry on the potential demand for smart card readers when the new Smart ID Card is rolled out," said a spokesman for the ITSD today (November 30).

"When the new Smart ID Card is rolled out, two applications in addition to the immigration-related functions will be available at the option of citizens."

"One of these two additional applications is the Library Card for gaining access to services at all public libraries, while the other is the Digital Certificate issued by the Hongkong Post Certification Authority to facilitate secure electronic transactions."

"We anticipate that, as citizens opt for the digital certificate to be included in their Smart ID Card, they will want to have a suitable card reader in their PCs, office computers, and public kiosks and workstations on which to use the certificate. This will potentially increase the demand for such card readers," said the spokesman.

To compile the reference information, ITSD conducted a survey covering the availability, prices and functions and features of smart card readers in the market between October and November this year.

Questionnaires were sent to over 200 vendors involved in manufacturing smart card readers or supplying PC systems and peripherals.

"We have received very positive responses from both local and overseas vendors," said the spokesman, "It is found that card readers with the required functions and features for supporting the Smart ID Card are readily available in the market."

For a card reader to process the digital certificate stored in the new Smart ID Card, the reader should conform to the ISO 7816 smart card interface standard and adopts the PC/SC Workgroup software interface standard. More details can be found on the ITSD web site.

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