Method for simplifying the exchange of a sim card of subscribers of a digital mobile communications network

• US 20050075137A1
• Filed: 08/09/2001
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Reemtsma, Jan-Hinnerk
• Granted Patent: US 7,280,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/559
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3552 Downloading or loading of personalisation data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/265 for initial activation of new user

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for simplifying the exchange of a SIM card of subscribers of a digital mobile communications network. According to the invention, the subscriber disposes of an old active SIM card and of a new inactive SIM card for use in a mobile terminal. The invention provides that the proper activation of the new SIM card and deactivation of the old SIM card are carried out while in dialog with the subscriber via a migration server connected to the mobile communications network.

Claims

1. Method for the simplified exchange of an SIM card at the subscribers of a digital mobile communication network, where the subscriber has at his disposal an old active SIM card and a new inactive SIM card for operation in a mobile terminal device,

characterized in

that the correct activation of the new SIM card (8) and deactivation of the old SIM card is carried out in dialog with the subscriber (10) through a migration server (12) connected to the mobile communication network (11).

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the steps:

sending a message with given content from the mobile terminal device (10) to the migration server (12) utilizing the old SIM card;

activating the new SIM card (8) through the migration server (12);

notifying the subscriber (10) that the new SIM card (8) can be exchanged against the old card;

exchanging the SIM card (8) in the mobile terminal device, and

deactivating the old SIM card through the migration server (12) as soon as the subscriber logs for the first time with the new SIM card (8) into the mobile communication network (11).

3. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the new SIM card (8) is only activated after its receipt has been confirmed with certainty by the subscriber.

4. Method as claimed in one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the message is an SMS or an e-mail message.

5. Method as claimed in one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exchange of the SIM card (8) can take place at a point in time freely selectable by the subscriber.

6. Method as claimed in one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the migration server (12) queries personal data of the subscriber residing on the old SIM card, intermediately stores them and, during the initial log-in with the new SIM card (8), transfers these onto it.

7. Method as claimed in one or several of the preceding claims, characterized in that the subscriber receives over his terminal device (10) information about the procedure to follow with the old SIM card.