Hewlett-Packard (HP) has signed a deal with De La Rue and VeriFone aimed at increasing security in the mobile e-commerce market. Smart card manufacturer De La Rue and VeriFone, a division of HP that provides secure electronic payment packages, yesterday announced the VeriSmart GSM agreement with HP. The deal aims to raise customer confidence in doing business over the Internet using mobile phones. Based on Java Card 2.1, it uses De La Rue's SIMphonIC Toolkit and VeriFone's VeriSmart server with interfaces to Internet payment and payment processing software. The server communicates with mobile phones as well as performing checks with financial institutions. Electronic cash, electronic ticketing and buying over the Internet are some of the other functions also available. Paul Goode, De La Rue business development manager, said the smart cards would start shipping in the UK at the beginning of second quarter. Goode added: "As the Internet and mobile phones come together, we need to make sure that e-commerce transactions are secure." The deal will start with operators in Asia, and later in Europe. ®