Method and apparatus for providing network access to a connecting apparatus

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a terminal apparatus, a selection of a network access credential for a network from a plurality of available network access credentials installed on the terminal apparatus;

authenticating a connecting apparatus that is connecting to the terminal apparatus via a wireless connection;

determining by the terminal apparatus that the authentication is successful;

responsive to the selection and the determination, activating the selected network access credential only in an instance in which the connecting apparatus is properly authenticated; and

using the activated network access credential to cause the connecting apparatus to be provided with access to the network via a local connection between the terminal apparatus and the connecting apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected network access credential corresponds to an account associated with the connecting apparatus such that any charges for the network access provided to the connecting apparatus are charged to the account associated with the connecting apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network comprises a cellular network, and wherein the plurality of available network access credentials comprise access credentials for the cellular network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of available network access credentials is associated with a respective identifier, and wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining the selection based at least in part on a received indication of an identifier associated with the selected network access credential.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining a selection of a network access credential based at least in part on an indication of the selected network access credential received as a parameter in a remote AT command received from the connecting apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining a selection of a network access credential based at least in part on an indication of the selected network access credential received over the network from a network node.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein authenticating the connecting apparatus comprises:

determining an identity asserted by the connecting apparatus;

selecting a challenge based at least in part on the determined identity;

causing the selected challenge to be provided to the connecting apparatus;

verifying a response to the challenge received from the connecting apparatus; and

authenticating the connecting apparatus based at least in part on a result of the verification.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to activating the selected network access credential:

causing a notification and prompt for confirmation of usage of the network by the connecting apparatus to be provided by a user interface; and

activating and using the selected network access credential only in an instance in which user confirmation is received in response to the notification and prompt.

9. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least perform:

determining, at a terminal apparatus, a selection of a network access credential for a network from a plurality of available network access credentials installed on the terminal apparatus;

authenticating a connecting apparatus that is connecting to the terminal apparatus via a wireless connection;

determining by the terminal apparatus that the authentication is successful;

responsive to the selection and the determination, activating the selected network access credential only in an instance in which the connecting apparatus is properly authenticated; and

using the activated network access credential to cause the connecting apparatus to be provided with access to the network via a local connection between the terminal apparatus and the connecting apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the selected network access credential corresponds to an account associated with the connecting apparatus such that any charges for the network access provided to the connecting apparatus are charged to the account associated with the connecting apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the network comprises a cellular network, and wherein the plurality of available network access credentials comprise access credentials for the cellular network.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of available network access credentials is associated with a respective identifier, and wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining the selection based at least in part on a received indication of an identifier associated with the selected network access credential.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining a selection of a network access credential based at least in part on an indication of the selected network access credential received as a parameter in a remote AT command received from the connecting apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining a selection of a network access credential based at least in part on an indication of the selected network access credential received over the network from a network node.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein authenticating the connecting apparatus comprises:

determining an identity asserted by the connecting apparatus;

selecting a challenge based at least in part on the determined identity;

causing the selected challenge to be provided to the connecting apparatus;

verifying a response to the challenge received from the connecting apparatus; and

authenticating the connecting apparatus based at least in part on a result of the verification.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one memory and stored computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to further perform, prior to activating the selected network access credential:

causing a notification and prompt for confirmation of usage of the network by the connecting apparatus to be provided by a user interface; and

activating and using the selected network access credential only in an instance in which user confirmation is received in response to the notification and prompt.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus comprises or is embodied on the terminal apparatus, the terminal apparatus comprising a mobile computing comprising user interface circuitry and user interface software stored on one or more of the at least one memory; wherein the user interface circuitry and user interface software are configured to:

facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile computing device through use of a display; and

cause at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile computing device to be displayed on the display to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile computing device.

18. A non-transitory computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least perform:

determining, at a terminal apparatus, a selection of a network access credential for a network from a plurality of available network access credentials installed on the terminal apparatus;

authenticating a connecting apparatus that is connecting to the terminal apparatus via a wireless connection;

determining by the terminal apparatus that the authentication is successful;

responsive to the selection and the determination, activating the selected network access credential only in an instance in which the connecting apparatus is properly authenticated; and

using the activated network access credential to cause the connecting apparatus to be provided with access to the network via a local connection between the terminal apparatus and the connecting apparatus.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the selected network access credential corresponds to an account associated with the connecting apparatus such that any charges for the network access provided to the connecting apparatus are charged to the account associated with the connecting apparatus.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the network comprises a cellular network, and wherein the plurality of available network access credentials comprise access credentials for the cellular network.

21. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of available network access credentials is associated with a respective identifier, and wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining the selection based at least in part on a received indication of an identifier associated with the selected network access credential.

22. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining a selection of a network access credential based at least in part on an indication of the selected network access credential received as a parameter in a remote AT command received from the connecting apparatus.

23. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein determining a selection of a network access credential comprises determining a selection of a network access credential based at least in part on an indication of the selected network access credential received over the network from a network node.

24. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein authenticating the connecting apparatus comprises:

determining an identity asserted by the connecting apparatus;

selecting a challenge based at least in part on the determined identity;

causing the selected challenge to be provided to the connecting apparatus;

verifying a response to the challenge received from the connecting apparatus; and

authenticating the connecting apparatus based at least in part on a result of the verification.

25. The computer program product of claim 18 , the computer-readable program instructions comprising instructions, which when performed by the apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to further perform, prior to activating the selected network access credential:

causing a notification and prompt for confirmation of usage of the network by the connecting apparatus to be provided by a user interface; and

activating and using the selected network access credential only in an instance in which user confirmation is received in response to the notification and prompt.

26. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining, at a terminal apparatus, a selection of a network access credential for a network from a plurality of available network access credentials installed on the terminal apparatus;

means for authenticating a connecting apparatus that is connecting to the terminal apparatus via a wireless connection;

means for determining by the terminal apparatus that the authentication is successful;

means for responsive to the selection and the determination, activating the selected network access credential only in an instance in which the connecting apparatus is properly authenticated; and

means for using the activated network access credential to cause the connecting apparatus to be provided with access to the network via a local connection between the terminal apparatus and the connecting apparatus.