VeriSign, Inc., provider of intelligent infrastructure services for the Internet and telecommunications networks, and Airspan Networks, worldwide provider of broadband wireless access networks, including 802.16-2004 and 802.16e WiMAX systems, announced that Airspan has selected the VeriSign ® Custom Device Certificate Service to help prevent the pirating of broadband wireless services. Airspan will embed VeriSign digital certificates in its WiMAX- certified customer premises equipment devices (CPE), allowing them to meet security requirements for 802.16-2004 and 802.16e WiMAX standards, and to prevent device cloning and service pirating. Airspan is the first company to deploy these VeriSign services in its 802.16 WiMAX platform.

WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that delivers broadband wireless connections over long distances, providing an alternative to "wired" broadband services such as Cable and DSL. The VeriSign Custom Device Certificate Service will enable Airspan to centrally generate cryptographic keys and corresponding digital certificates, which are burned into the read- only memory of WiMAX devices prior to shipment. The digital certificate then authenticates the identity of each individual WiMAX CPE to the service provider before permitting a user to access wireless broadband services.

Paul Senior, Airspan's Vice President of Marketing and Product Management said, "Industrial strength authentication is a key part of 802.16-2004 and 802.16e WiMAX, and is a mandatory part of any indoor, self-installable, 'plug and play' WiMAX solution. Airspan's use of VeriSign's device certificate services gives service providers, network operators and end-users confidence that Airspan's AS.MAX product suite can deliver secure broadband wireless services."

Airspan will leverage VeriSign's highly-scalable and industry leading infrastructure to generate digital certificates in volumes adjusted to their production schedule to keep up with varying levels of customer demand. Additionally, VeriSign will provide Airspan with the expertise to integrate the certificate provisioning process with Airspan's existing manufacturing operations, providing a more efficient means to generate certificates during the manufacture of the CPEs.

"WiMAX holds great promise for broadband wireless 'last mile' connectivity and the introduction of advanced services, such as VoIP and IPTV services. However, for WiMAX to truly carry benefits to end-users, a means must exist to secure those services and the devices that carry on them," said Souheil Badran, vice president, EMEA, VeriSign. "By embedding our digital certificates into Airspan's WiMAX end-user devices, VeriSign will be able to provide a way to encrypt and protect wireless operators from device cloning and service piracy."

Airspan's AS.MAX is the world's first 802.16-2004 and 802.16e WiMAX product line designed to support Indoor, Self-Install WiMAX Modems and end- user Devices. The AS.MAX product line consists of 4 Base Stations (Macro-Cell: HiperMAX and MacroMAX, Micro-Cell: MicroMAX-SDR and MicroMAX-SOC) and three CPE types (Indoor Self-Install: EasyST, Outdoor Professional Install: ProST, Wi-Fi / WiMAX HotZones: ProST-WiFi). All of the AS.MAX products include support for VeriSign's Custom Device Certificate Service.