Global platform for managing subscriber identity modules
Disclosed is method comprising: storing in a home location register (HLR) at least one subscription record of a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the mobile device having a subscriber identity module (SIM) identified by a currently activated first international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), the currently activated first IMSI belonging to a set of IMSIs allocated to the system, wherein the provisioning server is operative to: receive a notification that the mobile devices has moved into a first one of the wireless networks; confirm that an allocation rule is satisfied; add and activate a second one of the IMSIs in the set of IMSIs to the HLR and remove the currently activated first IMSI from the HLR; and send the second IMSI to the mobile device to enable the mobile device to communicate wirelessly in the first wireless network as a local device.
1. A system comprising a global platform provider network operative to communicate with a plurality of wireless networks each having a network home location register (HLR) and further operative to communicate with a plurality of mobile devices, with each of the wireless networks operated by a different carrier, the global platform provider network comprising:
a provisioning server having access to a set of international mobile subscriber identities (IMSI) allocated to the global platform provider network by the plurality of wireless networks;
a distributed HLR of the global platform provider network to store at least one subscription record of a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the mobile device having a subscriber identity module (SIM) identified by a currently activated first IMSI, the currently activated first IMSI belonging to and allocated by the provisioning server from the set of IMSIs allocated to the global platform provider network, wherein the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network is realized from a plurality of HLR segments, and wherein the provisioning server is operative to:
receive a notification from the distributed HLR that the mobile device has moved from a first wireless network, the notification triggered by the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network receiving an update initiated from a visitor location register (VLR) in a second wireless network into which the mobile device has moved, the second wireless network being different to the first wireless network;
following confirmation that an allocation rule is satisfied, add and activate a second one of the IMSIs in the set of IMSIs of the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network and remove the currently activated first IMSI from the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network; and
send the second IMSI to the mobile device to enable the mobile device to communicate wirelessly in the second wireless network as a local device or a roaming subscriber with a new IMSI;
wherein at least one of the HLR segments is associated with a carrier of one of the plurality of wireless networks, the carrier-associated HLR segment being readable and writable by the provisioning server under an agreement between the carrier and a provider of the system.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network manages the set of IMSIs, and wherein the set of IMSIs include multiple subsets with each of the subsets including the IMSIs that have a different mobile country code and different mobile network code.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each IMSI in the set of IMSIs includes a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC) that identify one of the wireless networks, and a mobile subscriber identity number (MSIN) that includes one or more digits having one or more pre-designated values to identify the IMSI as being allocated to the system.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless networks are located in multiple countries.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule is based on an agreement and a carrier of the first wireless network.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on an initial network registration of the first IMSI in a test ready state, inventory state, activation ready state or an activated state.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on a country of an initial network registration in a test ready state, inventory state, activation ready state or activated state.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on a first network registration of the first IMSI and a call detail record (CDR).
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on a first network registration of the first IMSI and a CDR in a test ready state, inventory state, activation ready state or activated state.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on a first network registration of the first IMSI and a first billable CDR in a first billing cycle.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on a first network registration of the first IMSI and a last billable CDR in a first billing cycle.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on a first network registration of the first IMSI and a defined percentage of billable data volume in a first billing cycle.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies that the second one of the IMSIs is selected based on a first network registration of the first IMSI and after a defined number of consecutive billable months of usage.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the allocation rule specifies at least one of an amount of mobile usage, a length of time that the mobile device has been roaming, a subscription status, a number of available IMSIs, an agreement with the network carrier for a deployed location.
15. A method to communicate within a system comprising a global platform provider network operative to communicate with a plurality of wireless networks each having a network home location register (HLR) and further operative to communicate with a plurality of mobile devices, with each of the wireless networks operated by a different carrier, and wherein the global platform provider network includes a provisioning server having access to a set of international mobile subscriber identities (IMSI) allocated to the global platform provider network by the plurality of wireless networks, the method comprising:
storing in a distributed HLR of the global platform provider network at least one subscription record of a mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the mobile device having a subscriber identity module (SIM) identified by a currently activated first international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), the currently activated first IMSI belonging to the distributed HLR in the global provider network and allocated by the provisioning server from the set of IMSIs allocated to the global platform provider network, wherein the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network is realized from a plurality of HLR segments, and wherein the provisioning server is operative to:
receive a notification from the distributed HLR that the mobile device has moved from a first wireless network, the notification triggered by the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network receiving an update initiated from a visitor location register (VLR) in a second wireless network into which the mobile device has moved, the second wireless network being different to the first wireless network;
following confirmation that an allocation rule is satisfied, add and activate a second one of the IMSIs in the set of IMSIs to the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network and remove the currently activated first IMSI from the distributed HLR of the global platform provider network; and
send the second IMSI to the mobile device to enable the mobile device to communicate wirelessly in the second wireless network as a local device or a roaming subscriber with a new IMSI;
wherein at least one of the HLR segments is associated with a carrier of one of the plurality of wireless networks, said carrier-associated HLR segment being readable and writable by the provisioning server under an agreement between the carrier and a provider of the system.