Over The Air Modification Of The Telephone Number Of A Mobile Unit
The telephone number, such as the MSISDN or MDN, of a mobile unit can be changed with Over the Air (OTA) messaging without replacing the SIM/UICC device or changing the IMSI of the mobile unit. The user of a mobile unit can add or change a telephone number of a mobile unit without having to go to a service center or replace the SIM card of the mobile unit.
1 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit, the method comprising:
receiving an over the air message at the mobile unit, the over the air message including a new telephone number; and
changing the telephone number of the mobile unit to the new telephone number.
2 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the over the air message is an SMS message, and wherein the new telephone number is embedded in the user data portion of the SMS message.
3 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of changing the telephone number of the mobile unit comprises changing the telephone number of the mobile unit in a SIM card located within the mobile unit.
4 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step of changing the telephone number of the mobile unit comprises changing the MSISDN of the mobile unit.
5 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of sending a re-registration message from the mobile unit.
6 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 5 , the method further comprising the step of, in the case where the mobile unit re-registration fails, reinstalling the old telephone number.
7 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of sending a proof message by the mobile unit.
8 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the proof message is an SMS message.
9 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the proof message comprises the new telephone number.
10 . A method for changing the telephone number of a mobile unit in accordance with claim 7 , the method further comprising the step of making a telephone number entry change in a network based address book.
11 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit, the method comprising:
receiving an over the air message at the mobile unit, the over the air message including a new telephone number; and
adding the new telephone number to the mobile unit.
12 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 11 , the method further comprising the step of deleting the old telephone number of the mobile unit.
13 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 12 , the method further comprising the step of deleting the old telephone number if it is tagged as temporary.
14 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the over the air message is an SMS message, and wherein the new telephone number is embedded in the user data portion of the SMS message.
15 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the step of adding the new telephone number to the mobile unit comprises changing the MSISDN of the mobile unit.
16 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 11 , the method further comprising the step of sending a re-registration message from the mobile unit.
17 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 11 , the method further comprising the step of sending a proof message by the mobile unit.
18 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the proof message is an SMS message.
19 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the proof message comprises the new telephone number.
20 . A method for adding a new telephone number to a mobile unit in accordance with claim 17 , the method further comprising the step of making a telephone number entry change in a network based address book.