System and method for enabling a wireless device with customer-specific services
A mobile wireless device which operates in a wireless network is capable of: displaying a request for a user specified subscriber identification code on a GUI, receiving a single entry of the user specified subscriber identification code from the GUI, appending a code specifying a request for a type of activation and a request for data representing customer specific services to the subscriber identification code to form an activation code, transmitting the activation code to a control center wherein the transmission of the activation code results from the single entry of the user specified subscriber identification code into the GUI, receiving data representing customer specific services from the control center in response to the transmission of the activation code, and storing the received data representing the customer specific services in the memory.
1. A mobile wireless device for operation in a wireless network comprising:
a processor;
a radio receiver and transmitter unit coupled to the processor;
a graphical user interface (GUI) coupled to the processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
display a request for a user specified subscriber identification code on the GUI;
receive a single entry of the user specified subscriber identification code from the GUI;
append a code specifying a request for a type of activation and a request for data representing customer specific services to the subscriber identification code to form an activation code;
transmit the activation code to a control center, wherein the transmission of the activation code results from the single entry of the user specified subscriber identification code into the GUI;
receive the data representing customer specific services from the control center in response to the transmission of the activation code; and
store the received data representing the customer specific services in the memory.
2. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein receipt of the data representing customer specific services from the control center results from the single entry of the user specified subscriber identification code into the GUI on the mobile wireless device.
3. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein an activation of the mobile wireless device in the wireless network results from the single entry of the user specified subscriber identification code into the GUI on the mobile wireless device.
4. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the activation code is transmitted to the control center by utilizing at least one of a short message service (SMS) channel, a data channel, a Circuit-Switched Data (CSD) channel, an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) channel, a wireless application protocol (WAP) messaging channel and a voice channel.
5. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the customer specific services comprises at least one of: a device setting for data access, an APN, specific operator short codes for premium SMS services, text message configurations, voice mail numbers, a customer care number, contact lists, a contact address book, a subscriber profile for email access, an iTunes® profile, customized browser settings, VPN settings, ringtone settings, and WiFi settings.
6. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein the type of activation comprises an activation of a new mobile wireless device, an activation of a de-activated mobile wireless device, an activation of an activation ready mobile wireless device, or an activation of a borrowed mobile wireless device.
7. The wireless device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a voice mail number, a customer care number, a contact list, and a contact address book is displayed on the GUI.
8. A system comprising a control center for managing mobile wireless devices in a wireless network comprising:
a processor;
a radio receiver and transmitter unit; and
a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to:
receive an activation code comprising a subscriber identification code and a code representing a request for a type of activation and a request for data representing customer specific services from a mobile wireless device;
retrieve the data representing customer specific services from a data base utilizing the subscriber identification code;
activate the mobile wireless device for operation in the wireless network based on the type of activation;
provision network elements in the wireless network according to the type of activation; and
transmit the data representing customer specific services to the mobile wireless device in response to the receipt of the activation code.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein receipt of the activation code results from a single entry of a user specified subscriber identification code into a GUI on the mobile wireless device.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein activation of the mobile wireless device and transmission of the data representing customer specific services results from a single entry of a user specified subscriber identification code into a GUI on the mobile wireless device.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the activation code is transmitted to the control center by utilizing at least one of a short message service (SMS) channel, a data channel, a circuit-switched data (CSD) channel, an unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) channel, a wireless application protocol (WAP) messaging channel, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, circuit-switched data, dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF), and a voice channel.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the customer specific services comprises at least one of: a device setting for data access, an APN, specific operator short codes for premium SMS services, text message configurations, voice mail numbers, a customer care number, contact lists, a contact address book, a subscriber profile for email access, an iTunes® profile, customized browser settings, VPN settings, ringtone settings, and WiFi settings.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the type of activation comprises an activation of a new mobile wireless device, an activation of a de-activated mobile wireless device, an activation of an activation ready mobile wireless device, or an activation of a borrowed mobile wireless device.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein activating the mobile wireless device for operation in the wireless network comprises transmitting an IMSI over-the-air (OTA) to the mobile wireless device according to the type of activation.
15. The system of claim 8 , wherein provisioning network elements in the wireless network comprises provisioning an HLR to add an IMSI according to the type of activation.
16. The system of claim 8 , wherein activating the mobile wireless device for operation in the wireless network comprises provisioning an HLR to change an IMSI state from activation ready to activated according to the type of activation.
17. The system of claim 8 , wherein subscriber identification code comprises a telephone number, an account number, a PIN number, a social security number, or a partial social security number.
18. The system of claim 8 , wherein the code representing a request for a type of activation and a request for data representing customer specific services is a prefix or suffix appended to the subscriber identification code.