AUTOMATED DEVICE PROVISIONING AND ACTIVATION

1 . A method performed by a network system communicatively coupled to an end-user device over a wireless access network, the method comprising:

obtaining one or more credentials from the end-user device, the one or more credentials identifying at least an aspect of the end-user device;

determining, using at least a first portion of the one or more credentials, that a user of the end-user device has not selected a service plan for the end-user device;

identifying one or more candidate service plans, wherein at least one of the one or more candidate service plans is identified based, at least in part, on at least a second portion of the one or more credentials, or the first portion of the one or more credentials, or a combination thereof;

establishing a secure communication link between the network system and the end-user device over an ambient services connection of the wireless access network, the ambient services connection enabling the user of the end-user device at least to select one of the one or more candidate service plans to be a first service plan for the end-user device;

sending, to the end-user device over the secure communication link, information about the one or more candidate service plans; and

obtaining, over the secure communication link, a response to the information about the one or more candidate service plans, the response identifying the first service plan as selected by the user.

2 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein establishing the secure communication link between the network system and the end-user device comprises establishing the secure communication link between the network system and one or more device agents of the end-user device, wherein the one or more device agents comprise a device application.

3 . The method recited in claim 2 , further comprising using a communication protocol over the secure communication link that has a message framing structure that identifies one or more particular device agents of the one or more device agents, the one or more particular device agents associated with message content of a message communicated over the secure communication link.

4 . The method recited in claim 2 , further comprising assisting one or more device agents on the end-user device in presenting data usage information associated with the end-user device, wherein presenting data usage information associated with the end-user device comprises projected, predicted or expected usage information associated with the end-user device.

5 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein determining that the user of the end-user device has not selected a service plan comprises determining, using at least the first portion of the one or more credentials, that the end-user device is not authenticated as an activated end-user device.

6 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the network system comprises one or more network elements, and wherein determining that the user of the end-user device has not selected a service plan comprises determining, using at least the first portion of the one or more credentials, that the end-user device does not belong to a set of devices, a set of device types, or a device group to which at least one of the one or more network elements is configured to provide access over the wireless access network.

7 . The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

sending to the end-user device at least a portion of a service policy associated with the first service plan, the service policy comprising a control policy, a notification policy, an accounting policy or a combination thereof associated with the first service plan.

8 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more candidate service plans is associated with an established service account.

9 . The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining, over the secure communication link, an indication to create a new service account for the end-user device.

10 . The method recited in claim 9 , further comprising:

creating the new service account for the end-user device, at least in part by storing user information, device owner information, billing information or a combination of these; and

associating the new service account with at least a third portion of the one or more credentials obtained from the end-user device by storing one or more database entries.

11 . The method recited in claim 9 , further comprising:

creating the new service account for the end-user device, at least in part by storing is user information, device owner information, billing information, or a combination of these; and

associating the new service account with a service profile associated with the first service plan by storing one or more database entries.

12 . The method recited in claim 11 , wherein the service profile associated with the first service plan defines (i) one or more service activities authorized for the end-user device over the wireless access network, (ii) a portion of a service policy to control access of the end-user device to the wireless access network, (iii) a portion of a service policy to monitor service usage associated with the end-user device over the wireless access network, (iv) a portion of a service policy to manage access network service usage limits associated with the end-user device, or (v) a combination of these.

13 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more credentials identify at least in part (i) the end-user device, and (ii) the user of the end-user device, a service account to associate with the end-user device, a service account associated with the end-user device, or a combination of these.

14 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more credentials comprise a mobile directory number (MDN), a mobile equipment identifier (MEID), a mobile subscriber identifier (MSID), a device serial number, information stored in an identity module, a network address identifier (NAI), or a combination of these.

15 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the network system comprises a transaction server, an activation server, or a service controller.

16 . The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

tracking at least a portion of usage of the ambient services connection by the end-user device; and

recording, in a memory accessible by a computer system controlled by a sponsor entity responsible for at least subsidizing the at least a portion of the usage of the ambient services connection by the end-user device, an accounting of the least a portion of the usage of the ambient services connection used the end-user device, wherein the sponsor entity is an entity other than a user associated with the end-user device.

17 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the network system comprises one or more network elements, and wherein a particular network element of the one or more network elements is an activation server or a service controller, and further comprising:

routing or directing traffic associated with the ambient services connection to the particular network element.

18 . The method recited in claim 17 , further comprising:

determining the particular network element to which to route or direct traffic associated with the ambient services connection based at least in part on the one or more credentials obtained from the end-user device.

19 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein identifying one or more candidate service plans comprises associating the end-user device with an original equipment manufacturer, a device group, or a service account owner.

20 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the network system comprises a database, and further comprising:

determining, using at least in part the one or more credentials, that the end-user device is associated with a particular device group;

obtaining an activation profile for the particular device group from the database; and

obtaining or creating information for at least one service plan based on the activation profile for the particular device group to include in the information about the one or more candidate service plans sent to the end-user device.

21 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the ambient services connection is associated with an ambient service profile that restricts access over the wireless access network by the end-user device to (i) use of one or more applications, or (ii) access to one or more network destinations.

22 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the ambient services connection is a connection that enables limited communication between the end-user device and a particular network element of the network system according to an ambient service profile that allows end-user device traffic associated with an activation process for the end-user device and blocks other traffic of the end-user device.

23 . The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

creating one or more database entries before the end-user device is associated with the first service plan, the one or more database entries associating at least in part the one or more credentials with the end-user device.

24 . The method recited in claim 23 , further comprising:

providing at least a third portion of the one or more credentials to an apparatus to program into the end-user device during a manufacturing process, during device distribution, or at a point of sale or shipment of the end-user device.

25 . The method recited in claim 23 , further comprising:

associating at least in part the one or more credentials with an activation sequence for the end-user device by storing one or more database entries; and

provisioning at least one network element of the network system to recognize the end-user device based at least in part on the one or more credentials and to perform at least a portion of the activation sequence for the end-user device.

26 . The method recited in claim 23 , further comprising:

associating at least in part the one or more credentials with an ambient service profile that defines one or more aspects of the ambient services connection by is storing one or more database entries; and

provisioning at least one network element of the network system to recognize the end-user device based at least in part on the one or more credentials and to assist in establishing the ambient services connection in accordance with the ambient services profile.

27 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the information about the one or more candidate service plans is first information, and further comprising:

sending, over the secure communication link, second information to assist the end-user device in presenting a notification to the user of the end-user device, the notification comprising a service usage amount for a billing period or a service usage cost; and

obtaining, from the end-user device over the secure communication link, an acknowledgement in response to the notification.

28 . The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the information about the one or more candidate service plans is first information, and further comprising:

sending, over the secure communication link, second information to assist the end-user device in presenting a notification to the user of the end-user device, the notification comprising billing information for a service account with which to associate the first service plan; and

obtaining, from the end-user device over the secure communication link, an acknowledgement in response to the notification.

29 . A network system, comprising:

a communication interface enabling the network system to communicate with an end-user device over a wireless access network; and

one or more network elements configured to:

obtain one or more credentials from the end-user device, the one or more credentials identifying at least an aspect of the end-user device,

determine, using at least a first portion of the one or more credentials, that a user of the end-user device has not selected a service plan for the end-user device,

identify one or more candidate service plans, wherein at least one of the one or more candidate service plans is identified based, at least in part, on at least a second portion of the one or more credentials, or the first portion of the one or more credentials, or a combination thereof,

establish a secure communication link between the network system and the end-user device over an ambient services connection of the wireless access network, the ambient services connection enabling the user of the end-user device at least to select one of the one or more candidate service plans to be a first service plan for the end-user device,

send, to the end-user device over the secure communication link, the information about the one or more candidate service plans, and

obtain, over the secure communication link, a response to the information about the one or more candidate service plans, the response identifying the first service plan as selected by the user.

30 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing machine-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network system, cause the one or more processors of the network system to:

obtain one or more credentials from an end-user device communicatively coupled to the network system over a wireless access network, the one or more credentials identifying at least an aspect of the end-user device;

determine, using at least a first portion of the one or more credentials, that a user of the end-user device has not selected a service plan for the end-user device;

identify one or more candidate service plans, wherein at least one of the one or more candidate service plans is identified based, at least in part, on at least a second portion of the one or more credentials, or the first portion of the one or more credentials, or a combination thereof;

establish a secure communication link between the network system and the end-user device over an ambient services connection of the wireless access network, the ambient services connection enabling the user of the end-user device at least to select one of the one or more candidate service plans to be a first service plan for the end-user device;

send, to the end-user device over the secure communication link, information about the one or more candidate service plans; and

obtain, over the secure communication link, a response to the information about the one or more candidate service plans, the response identifying the first service plan as selected by the user.