WMPU is reporting just that, quoting the registration overview,
AppHub - GeoTrust verification for individuals and students cancelled
Microsoft has canceled the GeoTrust verification for individuals and students with the last AppHub update:
Individual and Student Identity Validation individuals will be verified using the information provided and their credit card information
When I use the link provided from the post, what I see says this
Once registration is complete, individuals will be verified using the information provided and their credit card information. These two must match to successfully activate the App Hub account. Students will be verified using the information provided and their DreamSpark membership.
It's very confusing, and the fact that I can't find more search results, would what would be a big step for Windows Phone and the marketplace, seems a bit screwy. I'm already registered, and I had to go through a lot of to and fro with GeoTrust, and eventually took it to the App Hub forums, and Microsoft stepped in for me and got it done. What I noticed, is that a major change like this has not been officially announced, considering the amount of consternation the GeoTrust verification process has generated. The link WMPowerUser supplied is not region specific, and if I follow it I see a very different text from what they are quoting.
The full text I see is
Identity validation is an annual process to confirm a developer's identity for the Windows Phone Marketplace. Identity validation helps to protect you as the developer from unauthorized developers who may submit applications to the Windows Phone Marketplace by using your name and information. It also helps to assure customers that applications in the Windows Phone Marketplace are authentic and from a known source. Microsoft works with GeoTrust to provide the identity validation services. Timely responses to GeoTrust's requests for information will help to accelerate the identity validation process.
Identity validation needs to be complete before you can unlock your phone for development and submit apps to the Marketplace.
Once registration is complete, individuals will be verified using the information provided and their credit card information. These two must match to successfully activate the App Hub account. Students will be verified using the information provided and their DreamSpark membership.
The App Hub Dashboard will display the status of your validation process.
Once registration is complete, GeoTrust will contact the Corporate Approver to validate the information provided during registration. The Corporate Approver will first be sent an email to approve the registration request before validation can proceed. Once the request has been approved, GeoTrust will validate the information provided and may contact the Corporate Approver for additional documentation, should that be required to complete validation.
GeoTrust maintains a detailed knowledge base of documentation that may be required for company identity validation.
The App Hub Dashboard will display the status of your validation process.
It clearly states that GeoTrust needs to get a pile of info from me, and if that is sufficient, I will be verified, and given access to developer privileges, like unlocking phones and uploading Apps for validation and acceptance to the Marketplace. I can't be sure if this is a regional difference, or another instance of people picking up, and running with a rumour. The lack of further verification of this claim, seems to support the latter, and although I have reached out to a few "Softies" who should be in the know, I haven't received a reply yet. If the post is correct, and the certification process has been relaxed, it opens the platform up to all sorts of malicious threats, like we have seen in Android Devices. At this point, I'm only waxing lyrical about this, with a fair dose of scepticism, if anybody though is getting the same text as described above, from me or the linked post, let me know!
source: HTC Source
