Malaysia’s U Mobile has introduced SIM-based phone-number verification on its ULTRA5G network through a partnership with Telenor Linx, allowing supported digital services to verify a user’s mobile number without requiring manual entry of an SMS one-time password.

The service is intended for registration, login and identity-verification journeys where businesses want to reduce friction while retaining a network-based authentication step.

Verification moves from SMS entry to the mobile network

Under the model, the mobile network can confirm that the device and SIM being used correspond to the claimed phone number. U Mobile said this can shorten sign-up and sign-in flows while reducing dependence on SMS OTPs, which can be delayed, intercepted or socially engineered.

The company is also making the capability available to developers using Google Firebase through its partnership with Telenor Linx. That extends the service beyond direct enterprise integrations into a broader application-development ecosystem.

Operators look for new identity services

U Mobile Chief Business Officer How Lih Ren said the service is intended to extend network capabilities beyond connectivity and give businesses a simpler verification method. Telenor Linx CEO Stig Atle Waagbø said the value of SIM-based verification grows as more operators join the ecosystem.

Firebase Senior Product Manager Micah Baker said making network verification available through Firebase is intended to help developers build faster sign-up and sign-in experiences.

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