Provisioning electronic subscriber identity modules to mobile wireless devices
This application sets forth techniques for provisioning electronic subscriber identity modules (eSIMs) to mobile wireless devices that do not include functional bootstrap provisioning profiles to obtain access to a cellular wireless network. Connectivity to a cellular wireless network can be allowed for provisioning one or more eSIMs to a mobile wireless device using hardware device identifiers for authentication and a limited purpose provisioning connection when the cellular wireless network supports provisioning connections without the use of a provisioning profile for access.
1. A method for obtaining and installing an electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) at a mobile wireless device, the method comprising:
by the mobile wireless device:
determining one or more cellular wireless networks that support a bootstrap connection mode for installation of the eSIM without requiring use of a limited access bootstrap eSIM;
establishing an access stratum (AS) radio connection to an access network portion of a cellular wireless network selected from the one or more cellular wireless networks that support the bootstrap connection mode;
establishing a non-access stratum (NAS) secure data connection to the cellular wireless network;
obtaining, via the NAS secure data connection, an internet protocol (IP) address for the mobile wireless device and a first uniform resource locator (URL) address for an account server of a mobile network operator (MNO);
obtaining from the account server a second URL address for a provisioning server;
providing one or more hardware device identifiers to the provisioning server to identify the mobile wireless device;
obtaining from the provisioning server the eSIM; and
installing the eSIM on an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) of the mobile wireless device,
wherein:
the mobile wireless device indicates use of the bootstrap connection mode in requests to establish the AS radio connection and the NAS secure data connection; and
the eSIM provides full access to cellular wireless services of the MNO.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bootstrap connection mode is established without active authentication between the mobile wireless device and the cellular wireless network based on one or more certificates.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the one or more cellular wireless networks that support the bootstrap connection mode is based on system information broadcast (SIB) messages broadcast by the one or more cellular wireless networks that include an indication of support for the bootstrap connection mode.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
by the mobile wireless device:
presenting, via an interface of the mobile wireless device, an indication of the one or more cellular wireless networks; and
selecting the cellular wireless network from the one or more cellular wireless networks based on input received via the interface of the mobile wireless device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
establishing the AS radio connection comprises sending a radio connection request to the access network portion of the cellular wireless network, the radio connection request including an indication to establish the radio connection using the bootstrap connection mode.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the radio connection request includes a random number as an identifier for the mobile wireless device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
establishing the NAS secure data connection comprises sending a network attach request to the cellular wireless network, the network attach request including an indication to establish the NAS secure data connection using the bootstrap connection mode.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the network attach request includes a random number as an identifier for the mobile wireless device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the NAS secure data connection is secured using a transport layer security (TLS) protocol.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware device identifiers include an eUICC identifier (EID).
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware device identifiers include an international mobile equipment identifier (IMEI).
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the eSIM obtained from the provisioning server allows the mobile wireless device to obtain the cellular wireless services from the MNO subsequent to installation and activation of the eSIM on the eUICC of the mobile wireless device.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more hardware device identifiers include an encrypted eUICC identifier (EID), and
the EID is encrypted before establishing the AS radio connection.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the NAS secure data connection is restricted to access to the provisioning server for obtaining the eSIM.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the NAS secure data connection is limited to downloading at most a threshold amount of data.
16. A mobile wireless device comprising:
wireless circuitry comprising one or more antennas; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the wireless circuitry and to a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the mobile wireless device to obtain and install an electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) by at least:
determining one or more cellular wireless networks that support a bootstrap connection mode for installation of the eSIM without requiring use of a limited access bootstrap eSIM;
establishing an access stratum (AS) radio connection to an access network portion of a cellular wireless network selected from the one or more cellular wireless networks that support the bootstrap connection mode;
establishing a non-access stratum (NAS) secure data connection to the cellular wireless network;
obtaining, via the NAS secure data connection, an internet protocol (IP) address for the mobile wireless device and a first uniform resource locator (URL) address for an account server of a mobile network operator (MNO);
obtaining from the account server a second URL address for a provisioning server;
providing one or more hardware device identifiers to the provisioning server to identify the mobile wireless device;
obtaining from the provisioning server the eSIM; and
installing the eSIM on an embedded universal integrated circuit card (eUICC) of the mobile wireless device,
wherein:
the mobile wireless device indicates use of the bootstrap connection mode in requests to establish the AS radio connection and the NAS secure data connection; and
the eSIM provides full access to cellular wireless services of the MNO.
17. The mobile wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the bootstrap connection mode is established without active authentication between the mobile wireless device and the cellular wireless network based on one or more certificates.
18. The mobile wireless device of claim 16 , wherein the determining the one or more cellular wireless networks that support the bootstrap connection mode is based on system information broadcast (SIB) messages broadcast by the one or more cellular wireless networks that include an indication of support for the bootstrap connection mode.
19. The mobile wireless device of claim 16 , wherein:
establishing the AS radio connection comprises sending a radio connection request to the access network portion of the cellular wireless network, the radio connection request including an indication to establish the radio connection using the bootstrap connection mode.
20. The mobile wireless device of claim 19 , wherein the radio connection request includes a random number as an identifier for the mobile wireless device.