Smart Bits: GTE's Cybertrust Used In Canadian SET Pilot

GTE Corp. said its Cybertrust digital certificates are being used in Canada's first Secure Electronic Transactions pilot.

The first phase of testing of the MasterCard-Visa Internet payment standard, which began July 21, involves 30 MasterCard holders from Credit Union Electronic Transaction Services, the SaskTel telephone company, and three merchants.

The test is to be broadened over a six-month period. GTE, which has close digital certification relationships with both MasterCard and American Express, has made the Canadian market one of its priorities.

"The CUES-SaskTel-GTE pilot is a first in Canada and a major step for SET and commerce on the Internet," said Dolores Mundreon, vice president of operations and administration, MasterCard Canada.

"By using the SET protocol we are able to make commerce as international as the Internet itself," said Brian Guillemin, director of merchant products at Credit Union Electronic Transaction Services. "The goal of SET is to make Internet transactions as safe as those in the physical world."