System and method for locking and branding a mobile communication device to a network

1. A method of locking and branding a generic mobile communication device to a carrier network, comprising:

inserting in the device a subscriber or user identification module specifying a selection of a carrier network to which the mobile communication device is to be wirelessly connected;

issuing, from the device, a request to lock and brand the device to the selected carrier network;

allowing a supplier's provisioning system to verify whether the device is suitable for connection to the selected carrier network before sending a customized configuration file;

installing an updated operating system (OS) version, if necessary, for locking and branding the device to the selected carrier network prior to receiving the customized configuration file;

in response to the request, receiving the customized configuration file for the selected network containing a device locking command, and one or more branding commands to brand the device to the selected carrier network;

executing the device locking command to lock the device to the selected carrier network; and

executing the one or more branding commands to brand the device to the selected carrier network with one or more customized features specific to the selected carrier network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the one or more branding commands to brand the device includes one or more of:

downloading and displaying a customized desktop screen image for the selected carrier network on a display of the device;

downloading and installing one or more applications for execution on the device and customized for the selected carrier network;

downloading and installing one or more links to access services provided by the selected carrier network; and

downloading and storing one or more multi-media files including audio, ring tones, photo or video files provided by the selected carrier network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon first activation of the device, wirelessly accessing the carrier network specified in the inserted subscriber or user identification module.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected carrier network provisioning system also receives a copy of the customized configuration file, and the method further comprises allowing the selected carrier network to provision services on the device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the one or more branding commands to brand the device are executed by downloading customized features from the selected carrier network.

6. A mobile communication device configured for locking and branding to a carrier network, comprising:

means for receiving a selection of a carrier network to which the device is to be wirelessly connected based on subscriber or user identification module inserted into the device;

means for issuing, from the device, a request to lock and brand the device to the selected carrier network;

means for allowing a supplier's provisioning system to verify whether the device is suitable for connection to the selected carrier network before sending a customized configuration file;

means for installing an updated operating system (OS) version prior to receiving the customized configuration file for the selected carrier network and device if necessary for locking and branding the device to the selected carrier network;

means for receiving in response to the request the customized configuration file for the selected network containing a device locking command, and one or more branding commands to brand the device to the selected carrier network;

means for executing the device locking command to lock the device to the selected carrier network; and

means for executing the one or more branding commands to brand the device to the selected carrier network with one or more customized features specific to the selected carrier network.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the means for executing the one or more branding commands to brand the device is adapted to:

download and display a customized desktop screen image for the selected carrier network on a display of the device;

download and install one or more applications for execution on the device and customized for the selected carrier network;

download and install one or more links to access services provided by the selected carrier network; and

download and store one or more multi-media files including audio, ring tones, photo or video files provided by the selected carrier network.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the device is further adapted to wirelessly access the carrier network specified in the inserted subscriber or user identification module upon first activation of the device.

9. The device of claim 6 , wherein the selected carrier network provisioning system also receives a copy of the customized configuration file, and the device is further adapted to allow the selected carrier network to provision services on the device.

10. The device of claim 6 , wherein the device is further adapted to execute at least some of the one or more branding commands to brand the device by downloading customized features from the selected carrier network.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer code that when loaded into a generic mobile communication device adapts the device to perform a method of locking and branding the device to a carrier network, comprising:

code for identifying a selection of a carrier network to which the mobile communication device is to be wirelessly connected based on a subscriber or user identification module inserted into the device;

code for issuing, from the device, a request to lock and brand the device to the selected carrier network;

code for allowing the supplier's provisioning system to verify whether the device is suitable for connection to the selected carrier network before sending a customized configuration file;

code for installing an updated operating system (OS) version prior to receiving the customized configuration file for the selected carrier network and device if necessary for locking and branding the device to the selected carrier network;

code for receiving, in response to the request, the customized configuration file for the selected network containing a device locking command, and one or more branding commands to brand the device to the selected carrier network;

code for executing the device locking command to lock the device to the selected carrier network; and

code for executing the one or more branding commands to brand the device to the selected carrier network with one or more customized features specific to the selected carrier network.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the code for executing the one or more branding commands to brand the device includes one or more of:

code for downloading and displaying a customized desktop screen image for the selected carrier network on a display of the device;

code for downloading and installing one or more applications for execution on the device and customized for the selected carrier network;

code for downloading and installing one or more links to access services provided by the selected carrier network; and

code for downloading and storing one or more multi-media files including audio, ring tones, photo or video files provided by the selected carrier network.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising code for wirelessly accessing the carrier network specified in the inserted subscriber or user identification module upon first activation of the device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising code for executing at least some of the one or more branding commands to brand the device by downloading customized features from the selected carrier network.