WO2012015366A1

WO2012015366A1 - Access module re-use methods, systems, devices and computer readable mediums

Info

Publication number: WO2012015366A1
Application number: PCT/TH2010/000025
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eli Hem Jensen
Original assignee: Mobile Technologies Limited
Priority date: 2010-07-29
Filing date: 2010-07-29
Publication date: 2012-02-02
Also published as: PH12013500194A1

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method, system, device and computer readable medium for use in reducing wasted network capacity, resources and costs, as well as reducing the large quantities of new access modules that are presently required to be purchased without compromising the availability of access modules for new subscribers.

Description

TITLE

ACCESS MODULE RE-USE METHODS, SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND COMPUTER

READABLE MEDIUMS

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to wireless telecommunication methods, systems, devices and computer readable mediums, and more particularly to methods, systems, devices and computer readable mediums to enable the re-using of previously activated wireless service access modules.

BACKGROUND

A subscriber can access wireless services of a provider by obtaining a service access module ("access module"), such as a subscriber identity module or SIM card used in GSM networks, of the provider. After completing any additional requirements for enabling the access module and installing the access module in a communication device, the subscriber becomes an activated subscriber (having an activated access module) capable of accessing wireless services of the provider. A communication device may be any one of a mobile communication device, a machine such as a machine-to-machine (M2M) terminal, or the like. In the case where a communication device is a mobile communication device (such as a mobile phone operated by a person) or a machine (such as an M2M terminal), the activated subscriber is the person or legal entity (such as a company) bearing responsibilities for, among other things, accessing wireless services, payment for wireless services, etc.

Services offered by a provider are typically in the form of post-paid services, pre-paid services, or a combination thereof. In the case of post-paid services, the provider typically requires, at least a service contract agreement with the subscriber to ensure that, among other things, payments will be made by the subscriber at the end of each period (such as each month). The subscriber is then given an access module, which is activated after the provider completes one or more necessary internal procedures to activate the new subscriber. Such internal procedures may include provisioning and activating procedures, such as storing of subscriber-specific information in, among other things, billing systems, CRM systems, provisioning systems, home location register systems, and the like. After successful activation, the subscriber is enabled to access the post-paid wireless services until service is stopped. Causes for stopping of the services may include a request for service cancellation by the subscriber, a unilateral cancellation of the services by the provider for reasons such as non-payment, service contract expiration, lapse of a specific period of inactivity by the subscriber, or the like.

In the case of pre-paid services, a subscriber typically obtains a pre-paid access module and pre-purchases credits prior to using the pre-paid services. Thereafter, the subscriber may "top-up" or add credits to the pre-paid service. A pre-paid access module is typically provisioned and activated in a similar manner to a post-paid access module, but with some distinct differences. For example, whereas the activation of a post-paid subscriber requires the completion of a service contract by a specific post-paid subscriber and completion of the necessary internal procedures to provision and/or activate, a pre-paid access module is typically pre-provisioned before distribution and activated after the pre-paid access module is inserted into a communication device and the device is turned on. The pre-paid subscriber can typically use the wireless services until the service is stopped. Causes for stopping of the services may include the exhaustion of pre-paid credits, the lapse of a specific period of inactivity by the subscriber, or the like. In both post-paid and pre-paid services, the access module is typically offered free of charge or for a nominal fee.

An access module stores, among other things, assignments pertaining to its access module identification ("AMID") such as an ICCID assignment, subscriber identification ("SI") such as an IMSI assignment, secret code ("SC") such as a Ki assignment, and phone book of saved phone numbers. Sometimes, an access module may also store the subscriber's phone number ("Addressing Number"), etc. For the purposes of uniquely identifying a subscriber and their/its access module, assignment will hereinafter refer to any identification assigned to the subscriber and/or access module, and includes the above-mentioned identification information. As well known to persons ordinarily skilled in the art, specific assignments, associations, statuses, and/or access permissions for specific access modules and corresponding subscribers, such as the above assignments, becomes stored into one or more specific network element(s) ("NE"), such as a home location register (HLR) system, and such causes well known problems pertaining to, among other things, geographical restrictions for access module activations. Recent attempts have been made to develop solutions to overcome said limitations, such as concepts pertaining to universal or virtual network element systems that either replaces, combines or interacts with a plurality of network element systems. Nonetheless, well-known problems for providers continue to remain unsolved. For instance, providers must still purchase sufficient quantities of new access modules to ensure meeting the demands of their new subscribers. Such purchasing requirements, and problems thereof, deserves further explanation particularly for markets having many competing providers, large pre-paid subscribers base, high taxes imposed for new access modules, and/or high turnover of subscribers. In general, providers in such markets must ensure the number of new access modules purchased each year is a very large percentage of their number of gross subscribers ("fixed new access module procurement percentage"), wherein the number of gross subscribers is typically equal to the sum of active subscribers, dormant subscribers and temporarily un-activated subscribers, and typically does not include permanently un-activated subscribers. The fixed new access module procurement percentage in such markets is at least 80% of the number of gross subscribers of the provider. This percentage may vary between providers, but will generally be fixed by each provider. In general, an active subscriber becomes a dormant subscriber if the subscriber has not used their/its access module and/or payment has not been made for longer than a specific period of time, such as three months. A dormant subscriber automatically becomes a temporarily un-activated subscriber if the subscriber has not used their/its access module and/or payment has not been made for a longer duration, such as six months. To resume access to wireless services, a temporarily un- activated subscriber will typically be required to contact the provider. There may be many reasons why a subscriber has not used their/its access module for such a long period of time, such as if a subscriber is using another provider's access module to take advantage of promotional specials and/or if the subscriber has abandoned their/its access module altogether. In general, however, providers will not permanently un-activate dormant and/or temporarily un-activated subscribers for, among other reasons, the possibility that the subscriber will return. A temporarily un-activated subscriber automatically becomes permanently un-activated if the subscriber has not used their/its access module and/or payment has not been made for an even longer duration, such as one year. Typically, a provider will only unilaterally release or purge some or all subscriber assignments if the subscriber is a permanently un-activated subscriber, which in any event will result in the subscriber no longer being able to use their/its access module to resume access to wireless services. Until now, said providers were required to purchase very large quantities of new access modules each year, wherein a significant portion of the new access modules purchased are based on dormant and temporarily un-activated subscribers who may or may not abandon their access modules and therefore may or may not ever return. As an example of the above problem, if a provider has 100 million gross subscribers comprising 60 million active subscribers and 40 million dormant and temporarily un-activated subscribers, then the number of new access modules purchased each year by the provider will be 80% of the 100 million gross subscribers, or 80 million new access modules. Assuming the provider must pay USD 1 per access module, the provider will incur USD 80 million each year to purchase new access modules. Of course, such cost does not include other incurred costs which can be significantly more, such as packaging costs, freight costs from the access module manufacturer to the provider, import taxes, warehousing costs, insurance costs, taxes imposed on the provider for each new access module, distribution costs from the provider to distributors/retailers, etc. Until now, a solution has not been found to reduce the number of new access modules purchased each year while at the same time ensuring sufficient quantities of access modules for new subscribers.

Another problem faced by providers today relates to network capacity resources and costs, as well known to persons ordinarily skilled in the art, pertaining to information storage (access module and subscriber assignments, associations, statuses, personal subscriber information, etc.), licensing and other requirements in the network for NEs, such as HLR systems, provisioning systems, number pool systems, CRM systems, billing systems, voicemail systems, Addressing Number fees, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as "capacity consumption"). In general, capacity consumption is directly proportional to the sum of the number of gross access modules (gross subscribers) and the number of new access modules purchased per year. As such, the greater the number of new access modules, which directly relates to the number of gross access modules, the greater the capacity consumption. Until now, a solution has not been found to reduce capacity consumption.

Highly competitive markets having a large number of competing providers often offer the best values and deals for wireless services. In luring subscribers to their wireless services, providers in these countries often offer special time-limited promotions, such as 100 free SMS messages and/or free local calling for the first 3 months. Inherently, it is common for subscribers facing such promotional specials to often switch between providers. In these highly competitive markets, which are particularly popular in very populous and/or less developed countries, the above problems of high capacity consumption and costs associated with the need to purchase large quantities of new access modules each year are much more significant. SUMMARY

From the aforementioned existing problems faced by providers, it is an object of the present invention to provide for a method, system, device and computer readable medium for reducing wasted network capacity, resources and costs, including the need to purchase large quantities of new access modules without compromising the availability of access modules for new subscribers.

An example embodiment relates generally to a method of activating a new subscriber on a network using a used access module of an old subscriber, the method comprising: purging the old subscriber from a network; and enabling the new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network.

Another example embodiment relates generally to computer readable medium for an activation processing device having processor-executable instructions for performing the method of activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber.

Another example embodiment relates generally to a method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the method comprising: receiving, at an activation interface device, at least one assignment of the used access module, wherein the assignment may be any one of an AMID, an SI or an Addressing Number; communicating at least one assignment of the used access module in communications for activating the new subscriber on the used access module between the activation interface device and an activation processing device; and communicating a confirmation that the new subscriber has been provisioned on the used access module.

Another example embodiment relates generally to computer readable medium for an activation interface device having processor-executable instructions for performing the method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber.

Another example embodiment relates generally to a system for activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the system comprising: a used access module of the old subscriber; at least one activation processing device; at least one activation interface device; at least one NE system or the like; and at least one billing system or the like. Another example embodiment relates generally to an activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the activation processing device comprising: processing means for use in purging an old subscriber from a network and enabling a new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network, and communication means for use in enabling the processing means to communicate with one or more activation interface devices, access modules inserted into mobile communication devices, NEs, billing systems and the like.

Another example embodiment relates generally to an activation interface device for remotely activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the activation interface device comprising: processing means for receiving at least one assignment of the used access module and communicating with an activation processing device to purge an old subscriber from a network and enable a new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network, and communication means for use in enabling the processing means to communicate with the activation processing device.

Another example embodiment relates generally to a used access module of an old subscriber that has been activated for a new subscriber on a network of a provider, the used access module comprising information stored therein to enable a mobile communication device to executable instructions for enabling the new subscriber to access at least one service from a network.

Although the example embodiments provide for an improved method, system and device, with direct reference to example embodiments in the wireless telecommunication industry, it is to be understood by persons ordinarily skilled in the art that the present inventions can also be for use in other industries and applications.

IN THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an example sequence of events leading to activation of a new access module in the prior art.

Fig. 2 is an example illustration of network elements typically required in a wireless network to provision and activate a new subscriber in the prior art.

Fig. 3 is a system illustration of an example embodiment depicting network elements directly or indirectly involved in activating a new subscriber on a used access module. Fig. 4 is an example illustration of example sequence of events leading to activation of a used access module for a new subscriber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 illustrates an example sequence of typical events leading to activation of a new access module in the prior art. Hereinafter, a new access module will refer to an access module that has been manufactured, received by provider, and provisioned. Access module manufacturer 101 receives an order from provider 105 to manufacture a specific number of new access modules. After manufacturing and payment arrangements 102 are made, provider 105 incurs additional costs relating to packaging 103 and shipping 104 of the new access modules to provider 105. At 106, after receiving new access modules, provider 105 provisions new access modules into providers network 107 and thereby incurs additional capacity consumption for the new access modules. In many highly competitive markets, one or more government taxes are also imposed on each new access module. In many of the same markets, providers must also subsidize all or most of the costs of the new access modules, and it is common for new subscribers in these markets to receive new access modules free of charge from the provider. The present invention finds particular advantage in such markets. Provider 105 also incurs costs relating to distributing the new access modules to distributors/retailers 109. Hereinafter, distributor/retailer 109 will refer to one or more persons and/or entities capable of activating and/or initiating the activation of new subscribers for provider 105. Distributors/retailers 109 then make available the new access modules to new subscribers 111. A person wishing to become a new subscriber 111 completes any necessary requirements 112 (if necessary) for obtaining new access module 113, which may include completing a service contract, pre-paying for wireless services, providing personal information and/or any proof of identification, and/or other requirements generally practiced in the art. Hereinafter and unless otherwise stated, the terms access module and subscriber may be interchangeably used in the context of enabling and/or restricting access to wireless services of a provider.

Figure 2 is an example illustration of network elements in a provider's network for use in provisioning and activating a new subscriber 202 in the prior art. NE 204 may store subscriber and access module assignments and associations, such as an SI, Addressing Number, AMID, SC, etc., as well as the status of a subscriber. AUC 205 may store SI, SC or other security-related information. Billing system 206 may store the AMID, Addressing Number, SI, billing records, and personal information of a subscriber (depends on the type of service and if the provider chooses to do so). CRM 207 may store Addressing Number, SI, billing records or summarized usage data. Number pool system 208 may store available and already-assigned SI and Addressing Number pairings for each access module. The available SI and Addressing Number pairings may be used to generate output files for use in providing to access module manufacturers to produce new access modules. Provisioning system 209 may store all or partial information present on the new access module.

Generally, the status of a subscriber stored in NE system 204 can be one of an active subscriber, a dormant subscriber, a temporarily activated subscriber or a permanently un-activated subscriber. It is to be understood by persons ordinarily skilled in the art that possible statuses of a subscriber may include more, less or different types or names. In general, an active subscriber is a subscriber that has been provisioned, activated and enabled to access the wireless services of the provider. As previously described, an active subscriber becomes a dormant subscriber if the subscriber has not accessed a wireless service of the provider and/or payment has not been made for longer than a specific time, such as 3 months. The dormant subscriber is still provisioned, activated and enabled to access wireless services of the provider. A dormant subscriber becomes a temporarily un-activated subscriber if the subscriber has not accessed a wireless service and/or payment has not been made for a longer duration, such as 6 months. The temporarily un-activated subscriber is still provisioned. However, the temporarily un-activated subscriber is un-activated, and as such is not enabled to access wireless services of the provider. To resume access to wireless services, a temporarily un-activated subscriber will typically be required to contact the provider. A temporarily un-activated subscriber becomes permanently un-activated if the subscriber has not accessed a wireless service and/or payment has not been made for an even longer duration, such as 1 year. Typically, a permanently un-activated subscriber will no longer be able to use their/its access module to resume access to wireless services of the provider.

Figure 3 is a system illustration of an example embodiment of the present invention depicting network elements directly or indirectly involved in activating a new subscriber on a used access module. Hereinafter, a used access module will refer to an access module that is currently or was at one time provisioned, and can be an active access module (active subscriber), a dormant access module (dormant subscriber), a temporarily un-activated access module (temporarily un- activated subscriber), and a permanently un-activated access module (permanently un-activated subscriber). Before a new subscriber can be activated on a used access module, the old subscriber and the used access module must be purged from the network of the provider. Purging may include one or more of changing the status of an old subscriber to a permanently un-activated subscriber (if the subscriber is not already a permanently un-activated subscriber), releasing one or more assignments and/or associations of the old subscriber and their/its used access module, making available the one or more released assignments (if any) of the old subscriber and their/its used access module, and archiving information of the old subscriber and their/its used access module, such as billing information, personal information (if any) and assignments of the old subscriber, etc.

Activation processing device 300 is installed as one or more network elements in the provider's network in an example embodiment of the present invention. Activation processing device responsibilities may include, among other things, one or more of initiating and/or directly performing purging an old subscriber and/or their/its used access module, provisioning and/or activating a new subscriber on a used access module, and/or perform the necessary actions and interactions with one or more other network element(s) and/or personnel(s) of the provider, such as a NE system and/or billing system, to achieve the purging and/or activation of a used access module. In this regard, purging may also be performed manually by personnel(s) of a provider and/or other network element(s), such as the provisioning system. It is to be understood that an old subscriber is a subscriber who no longer wishes to continue accessing wireless services of a provider as a subscriber using their/its used access module, and may be an active subscriber, a dormant subscriber, a temporarily un-activated subscriber or a permanently un-activated subscriber. Activation processing device 300 may communicate with, among other systems, one or more of activation interface device or devices 301a (such as a POS 301b with optional card reader 301c, distributor/retailer mobile communication device 30 Id and 301, and/or subscriber mobile communication device or devices 301), NE system or systems 304, AUC system or systems 305, billing system or systems 306, CRM system or systems 307, number pool system or systems 308 and/or provisioning system or systems 309. Activation processing device 300 may have installed therein one or more computer software programs having all the necessary processor-executable instructions for performing one or more of purging an old subscriber and/or their/its used access module, initiate the purging of an old subscriber and/or their/its used access module, activating a new subscriber on a used access module, and/or initiate the activating of a new subscriber on a used access module. Activation processing device 300 comprises a processing means and a communication means. Processing means is capable of processing said computer software program(s) and any communication received via the communication means from any of the above communications (activation interface device such as distributor/retailer or subscriber mobile communication device; NE system; AUC; billing system; CRM system; number pool system; provisioning system), and instructing communication means to perform any of the above communications. Activation processing device is also capable of amending, adding, deleting, confirming and/or initiating the amending, adding and/or deleting of assignments in a used access module, such as SI information, SC information, SMS storage and saved phone books, either directly or by other means such as through cooperation from another network element, such as an OTA, through SMS messaging, or the like. Of course, such amendments, additions and/or deletions must be in accordance with telecommunication standards and laws of the provider's jurisdiction, such as those found in ETSI or the like.

Activation interface device 301a enables distributor/retailer to purge and/or initiate the purging of an old subscriber and/or their/its used access module by communicating with activation processing device 300 in an example embodiment of the present invention. Activation interface device 301a also enables a distributor/retailer to provision, activate, initiate the provisioning and/or initiate the activation of a new subscriber on a used access module of an old subscriber by communicating with activation processing device 300. It is to be understood that a new subscriber may be the same person or legal entity as the old subscriber. In this particular case, the person or legal entity will be re-using the old access module to become a new subscriber. Activation interface device 301a may be in the form of a computer, such as a Point-of-Service or POS 301b, capable of communicating wirelessly and/or wired to activation processing device 300. To activate used access module 302, distributor/retailer may, among other things, communicate one or more assignments of used access module 302 and/or old subscriber, such as the AMID assignment, to activation processing device 300. POS 301b may also have access module reader 301c, such as a card reader, to enable communicating with used access module 302 and communicating, among other things, the one or more assignments of used access module 302 and/or old subscriber to activation processing device 300. Activation interface device 301a can also be in the form of a mobile communication device 30 Id. To purge an old subscriber and/or used access module, initiate purging of an old subscriber and/or used access module, activate a new subscriber on used access module 302 and/or initiate activation of a new subscriber on used access module 302, distributor/retailer's activation interface device may have one or more computer software programs installed therein to enable performing the said actions with or without used access module 302 inserted into the activation interface device. Alternatively or in addition, activation interface device may be any mobile communication device, and may even belong to new subscriber or old subscriber, in which case purging and/or activating of used access module 302 will require used access module 302 to be inserted into mobile communication device 301. In the case where the activation interface device is the subscriber's mobile communication device and/or the new subscriber is the same person or legal entity as the old subscriber, the provider may perform purging and/or activating by way of instructions originating from an activation processing device to an OTA system, SMSC system, or any other systems that can achieve the same purpose.

Figure 4 illustrates an example sequence of events leading to activation of a used access module in the present invention. In 402, distributor/retailer 403 and/or provider receives used access modules directly or indirectly from old subscriber 401. It is to be understood that in the case where a new subscriber is the same person or legal entity as the old subscriber, the distributor/retailer and/or provider may not necessarily need to receive used access module from old subscriber. Distributor/retailer 403 then communicates with activation processing device through the provider's wireless network using an activation interface device to purge and/or initiate the purging of used access module 404 and/or old subscriber. It is to be understood that the step of purging and/or initiating the purging of used access module and/or old subscriber may not need to be performed by activation processing device, such as in the case where the old subscriber has already been permanently un-activated. Thereafter, distributor/retailer 403 provisions and/or initiates the provisioning of used access module by using an activation interface device to communicate with activation processing device. In 405, distributor/retailer 403 and/or provider makes available used access module for new subscribers 406. A person and/or legal entity wishing to become a new subscriber 406 completes any necessary requirements for obtaining used access module 407 and 408, which may include completing a service contract, pre-paying for wireless services, providing personal information and/or any proof of identification, paying and/or leaving a deposit for the used access module, and/or other requirements known in the art. Upon inserting used access module into their/its communication device and turning on the device, the subscriber becomes activated as a new subscriber enabled to access wireless services of the provider using the used access module. In respect to purging of a used access module by an activation processing device, Table 1 represents some of the possible actions initiated and/or performed by an activation processing device regarding an old subscriber and an old subscriber's access module information and/or assignments in a network. Table 2 represents the possible actions initiated and/or performed by an activation processing device regarding an old subscriber's access module information and/or assignments stored on an old subscriber's access module.

TABLE 1

Subscriber- Subscriber related Billing-related

Ex. AMID SI Addressing Information Information

Number

1 O o O X X

2 O o X X X

3 0 X o X X

4 0 X X X X

5 X o 0 X X

6 X o X X X

7 X X o X X

8 X X X X X

O = No change

X = Released

TABLE 2

Ex. AMID SI Addressing Phone Bool- Number

9 O O O Z

10 O O X Z

H O X O Z 14 X 0 X z

15 X X o z

16 X X X z o = No change

X = Deleted

z = May or may not be deleted In referring to the possible actions performed as a result of purging in Table 1, a release of assignments, such as a release of one or more of an AMID, SI and Addressing Number, will result in deleting, moving and/or archiving of the assignment(s) and its associations from the network, as well as the making available of the released assignment(s) for new subscribers. A provider who moves and/or archives released assignments may do so in a variety of ways that are well known in the art, such as using a number pool system, billing system and/or database(s) well known in the art. In an example embodiment, a number pool system may be used to, among other reasons, keep track of released assignments for new subscribers. In another example embodiment, an activation processing device may perform some or all of the functions of such a system, including those of a number pool system. Correspondingly, in activating a new subscriber on a used access module, wherein the used access module has one or more released assignments, the obtaining, assigning and/or associating of new assignment(s) may be performed by an activation processing device alone and/or in cooperation with other system(s), such as a number pool system and/or provisioning system. In assigning and/or associating assignments and/or information necessary for the provisioning and/or activation of a new subscriber on a used access module, the activation processing device may communicate with a variety of network elements, systems and devices. For a provider in Example 1, purging of an old subscriber and their/its used access module may result in activation processing device communicating with, among other things, a billing system to, if necessary, delete subscriber-related personal information and billing information. Subscriber- related information may include personal information of the old subscriber. Billing information of the old subscriber may include credits remaining, debts and payment history and usage. In provisioning and/or activating a new subscriber on the used access module, activation processing device may communicate with, among other things, a billing system to, if necessary, save subscriber-related information and billing information. For a provider in Example 2, activation processing device may communicate with one or more network elements, such as a number pool system and/or home location register, to release the Addressing Number assignment and associations. It is to be understood that associations between assignments will refer to a relational link between assignments in the network. For example, an Addressing Number will have associations with an SI and an AMID, and such assignments and associations may be stored in one or more network elements, such as a home location register. As such, in the case of Example 2, releasing the Addressing Number associations may include releasing of its association with an SI and an AMID. However, the association between the SI and AMID will not necessarily be released, and may remain associated. In Example 4, activation processing device will cause the release of the Addressing Number and SI assignments, and associations thereof, from the network. In this case, the AMID will no longer be associated with an Addressing Number or an SI. Furthermore, the released Addressing Number and released SI may be made available for any new activation. The activation of the used access module of Example 4 will therefore first require activation processing device to obtain, assign and perform necessary associations of new SI and new Addressing Number to the existing AMID of used access module. Although contemplated as example embodiments of the present invention, Examples 5-8 and 13-16 may not be preferable for some providers since such examples require reassignments of the AMID of the used access module.

In respect to the relationship between released assignments in the wireless network and those stored in the used access module, preferably, when an activation processing device releases one or more assignments from the wireless network, as shown in Table 1, the corresponding assignment(s) stored in the old access module will also be released and vice versa.

Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present invention will be used to describe the advantages and solutions to problems in the prior art.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 AND EXAMPLES 17-19

Table 3 illustrates a comparison of capacity consumption in the prior art as compared to an example embodiment of the present invention. In Comparative Example 1, provider A has 60 million active subscribers and 40 million dormant and temporarily un-activated subscribers for a total of 100 million gross subscribers. It is not possible for provider A to estimate how many of the 40 million dormant and temporarily un-activated subscribers will eventually return as active subscribers, and how many of them will eventually become permanently un-activated subscribers. Nonetheless, to ensure meeting the demands of new subscribers, provider A will purchase new access modules based on their fixed new access module procurement percentage of 80%. That is, provider A will purchase new access modules in the amount of 80% of their gross subscribers, or 80 million new access modules. After obtaining the new access modules, wireless provider A must then provision their wireless network for the new access modules, thereby incurring capacity consumption for the new access modules. Furthermore, the dormant and temporarily un-activated subscribers, particularly those who will eventually become permanently un-activated subscribers, will continue to incur capacity consumption for provider A. Correspondingly, provider A will incur capacity consumption for each new access module and for the said dormant and temporarily un- activated subscribers. In total, provider A will incur capacity consumption proportional to the sum of the gross number of subscribers of 100 million and the number of new access modules of 80 million, or a total of 180 million subscribers. Wireless provider A will also incur other costs, as described earlier, such as packaging costs for each new access module, freight costs from the access module manufacturer to the provider, import taxes, warehousing costs, insurance costs, distribution costs from the provider to distributors/retailers, government taxes imposed on new access modules, etc.

TABLE 3

Gross number of subscribers Access Total

Dormant & modules New network temporarily Total required access capacity

Active un- number of for new modules required, or

Example

subscribers activated gross subscribers required to total No.

(millions) subscribers subscribers (millions) purchase subscribers

(millions) (millions) for new (millions)

subscribers

(millions)

Comp. 60 40 100 80 80 180 Ex. 1

Ex. 17 60 16 76 60.8 36.8 136.8

Ex. 18 55 21 76 60.8 36.8 136.8

Ex. 19 50 26 76 60.8 36.8 136.8

In Examples 17 to 19, provider A uses methods, systems, devices and/or computer readable mediums in accordance with the present invention. Provider A will continue to have 60 million active subscribers. In Example 17, provider A and/or distributors/retailers of provider A receives about 24 million used access modules directly and/or indirectly from old subscribers that are dormant and/or temporarily un-activated subscribers through one or more of many methods, including a deposit arrangement, a reward arrangement, etc, and therefore only has about 16 million dormant and temporarily un-activated subscribers. A direct consequence of this is provider A now has only about 76 million gross subscribers. The substantially reduced number of dormant and temporarily un-activated subscribers, who would eventually become permanently un-activated subscribers, results in a reduction of wasted capacity consumption for provider A. Such reduction in wasted capacity consumption is proportional to the number of used access modules received by provider A and/or distributors/retailers of provider A. Based on the same fixed new access module procurement percentage of 80%, provider A in Example 17 will now only require about 60.8 million access modules for new subscribers. Because provider A now possesses about 24 million used access modules for new subscribers, provider A needs only purchase about 36.8 million new access modules as compared to 80 million new access modules in the prior art. In total, provider A will consume much lower capacity consumption of about 136.8 million as compared to 180 million in the prior art. In other words, the present invention enables wireless network A to realize a significant improvement in network consumption and significant reduction in costs (as described earlier). In Examples 18 and 19, provider A and/or distributors/retailers of provider A receives the same number of used access modules directly and/or indirectly from old subscribers. However, in these examples, the 24 million subscribers comprise subscribers that are also active subscribers who may have already decided that they no longer wish to access services of provider A. In these examples, the present invention will also result in significant improvements in network consumption and reduction in costs. Although the aforesaid example embodiments provide for methods, systems, devices and computer readable medium improvements over those previously known in the art, with direct reference to example embodiments and applications in the wireless telecommunications industry, it is to be understood by persons that are ordinarily skilled in the art that the example embodiments described herein are merely intended to facilitate understanding of the invention, and implies no limitation thereof. Various modifications and improvements of the example embodiments are indeed possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims, and these too will naturally be included as equivalents in the invention. Furthermore, various modifications and improvements of present embodiments are applicable in other applications and industries without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as recited in the appended claims, and these too will naturally be included as equivalents in the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. Method of activating a new subscriber on a network using a used access module of an old subscriber, the method comprising:

Purging the old subscriber from a network; and

Enabling the new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network.

2. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

Receiving, at an activation processing device from an activation interface device, a communication to activate the new subscriber on the used access module.

3. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 and 2, wherein the communication to activate comprises a communication to purge the old subscriber from a network and a separate communication to enable the new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network.

4. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the communication to activate includes at least one assignment of the used access module.

5. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein if the communication to activate comprises a communication to purge and a communication to enable, the communication to purge includes at least one assignment of the used access module and the communication to enable includes at least one assignment of the used access module.

6. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the purging comprises de-activating the used access module.

7. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the purging comprises deleting the message center number stored in the used access module.

8. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the purging comprises deleting at least one telephone number stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

9. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the purging comprises deleting at least one message stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

10. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the de-activating comprises releasing at least one assignment of the used access module from a network.

1 1. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the releasing of the at least one assignment comprises:

Changing the status of the old subscriber in a network to a permanently un-activated subscriber if the old subscriber is not already a permanently un-activated subscriber, and

Making available the at least one released assignment of the old subscriber to a number pool system;

Wherein the at least one released assignment can be any one of an AMID, an Addressing Number, an SI and billing information of the old subscriber.

12. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the enabling of at least one service comprises provisioning the used access module for the new subscriber.

13. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the provisioning comprises:

Creating at least a new subscriber billing account for the new subscriber in a billing system, and

Assigning to the new subscriber, in a network, a new assignment for each of the released assignments.

14. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 13, wherein a released assignment is an Addressing Number assignment, and wherein a new Addressing

Number assigned to the new subscriber can be any one of an Addressing Number automatically selected by the provider or an Addressing Number selectable by the new subscriber.

15. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 14, wherein a released assignment is an SI assignment, and wherein a new SI assigned to the new subscriber is an SI automatically selected by the provider.

16. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 15, wherein the provisioning comprises creating, in a network, at least one association between two or more of the new subscriber billing account, the AMID of the used access module, the Addressing Number of the new subscriber and the SI of the new subscriber.

17. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 16, wherein at least one of the associations is created in an NE system.

18. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 17, wherein the enabling further comprises the step of activating the used access module.

19. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 18, wherein the at least one service comprises at least one of placing or receiving a non-emergency voice call and/or using a data-related service.

20. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 19, wherein after purging the old subscriber, the old subscriber is a permanently un-activated subscriber.

21. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 20, wherein the activation request comprises receiving at least one message at the activation processing device from the activation interface device.

22. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 21, wherein the activation request comprises establishing a connection between the activation interface device and the activation processing device.

23. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 22, wherein the connection is an IP connection.

24. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 23, wherein the activation interface device is any one of a computer terminal capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device or a mobile communication device capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device.

25. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 24, wherein the activation interface device comprises a card reader capable of reading from and writing to the used access module.

26. The method of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 1 to 25, wherein the purging of the old subscriber and the activating of the new subscriber is on the same network.

27. Computer readable medium for an activation processing device having processor-executable instructions for performing the method of activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber of any one of claims 1 to 26.

28. Method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the method comprising:

Receiving, at an activation interface device, at least one assignment of the used access module, wherein the assignment may be any one of an AMID, an SI or an Addressing Number;

Communicating at least one of the assignments of the used access module in communications for activating the new subscriber on the used access module between the activation interface device and an activation processing device; and

Communicating a confirmation that the new subscriber has been provisioned on the used access module.

29. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of claim 28, wherein the communications for activating comprises a communication to purge the old subscriber from a network and a separate communication to enable the new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network.

30. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 29, wherein after receiving communication for activating from the activation interface device, the activation processing device purges the old subscriber from a network and enables the new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network.

31. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 30, wherein the purging comprises de-activating the used access module.

32. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 31, wherein the purging comprises deleting the message center number stored in the used access module.

33. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 32, wherein the purging further comprises deleting at least one telephone number stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

34. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any one of claims 28 to 33, wherein the purging comprises deleting at least one message stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

35. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 34, wherein the de-activating comprises releasing at least one assignment of the used access module from a network.

36. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 35, wherein the releasing of the at least one assignment comprises:

Wherein the at least one released assignment can be any one of an AMID, an Addressing

Number, an SI and billing information of the old subscriber.

37. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 36, wherein the enabling of at least one service comprises provisioning the used access module for the new subscriber.

38. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 37, wherein the provisioning comprises:

39. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 38, wherein a released assignment is an Addressing Number assignment, and wherein a new Addressing Number assigned to the new subscriber can be any one of an Addressing Number automatically selected by the provider or an Addressing Number selectable by the new subscriber.

40. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 39, wherein a released assignment is an SI assignment, and wherein a new SI assigned to the new subscriber is an SI automatically selected by the provider.

41. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 40, wherein the provisioning comprises creating, in the network, at least one association between two or more of the new subscriber billing account, the AMID of the used access module, the Addressing Number of the new subscriber and the SI of the new subscriber.

42. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 41, wherein at least one of the associations is created in an NE system.

43. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 42, wherein the enabling further comprises the step of activating the used access module.

44. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 43, wherein the at least one service comprises at least one of placing or receiving a nonemergency voice call and/or using a data-related service.

45. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 44, wherein the old subscriber of the used access module is a permanently un-activated subscriber.

46. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 45, wherein the activation request comprises receiving at least one message at the activation processing device from the activation interface device.

47. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 46, wherein the activation request comprises establishing a connection between an activation interface device and the activation processing device.

48. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 47, wherein the connection is an IP connection.

49. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 48, wherein the activation interface device is any one of a computer terminal capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device or a mobile communication device capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device.

50. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 49, wherein the computer terminal comprises a card reader capable of reading from and writing to the used access module.

51. The method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 28 to 50, wherein the purging of the old subscriber and the activating of the new subscriber is on the same network.

52. Computer readable medium for an activation interface device having processor-executable instructions for performing the method of remotely activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber of any one of claims 28-51.

53. System for activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the system comprising:

A used access module of the old subscriber;

An activation processing device;

An activation interface device;

A number pool system;

A NE system; and

A billing system.

54. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of claim 53, wherein the used access module is for use in a mobile communication device by the new subscriber to access at least one service from a network.

55. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 and 54, wherein the activation processing device is for use in purging the old subscriber from a network and enabling the new subscriber to use the used access module to access the at least one service from a network.

56. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 55, wherein the activation processing device is for use in initiating deleting at least one telephone number stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

57. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 56, wherein the activation processing device is for use in initiating deleting of at least one message stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

58. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 57, wherein the activation processing device is for use in initiating deleting of a message center number stored in the used access module.

59. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 58, wherein the activation interface device is for use in sending a request for activating the new subscriber on the used access module.

60. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 59, wherein the activation interface device is any one of a computer terminal capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device or a mobile communication device capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device.

61. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 60, wherein the computer terminal comprises a card reader capable of reading from and writing to the used access module.

62. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 61, wherein the number pool system is for use in receiving old subscriber assignments released during the purging and making available the released old subscriber assignments for new subscribers.

63. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 62, wherein the NE system is for use in creating an association between a billing account of the new subscriber, an AMID of the used access module, an Addressing Number of the new subscriber and an SI of the new subscriber.

64. The system of activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 53 to 63, wherein the billing system is for use in tracking service usage of the new subscriber after activation.

65. Activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the activation processing device comprising:

Processing means for use in purging an old subscriber from a network and enabling a new subscriber to use a used access module to access at least one service from a network, and

Communication means for use in enabling the processing means to communicate with at least one or more of activation interface devices, access modules inserted into mobile communication devices, NE systems and billing systems.

66. The activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of claim 65, wherein the communication means enables sending and receiving communications for activating the used access module with at least one activation interface device.

67. The activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 65 and 66, wherein the communication for activating includes at least one assignment of the used access module.

68. The activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 65 to 67, wherein the communication for activating may comprise a communication to purge the old subscriber from a network and a separate communication to enable the new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network.

69. The activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 65 to 68, wherein the processing means is capable of instructing the activation interface device to delete at least one telephone number stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

70. The activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claim 65 to 69, wherein the purging of the old subscriber and the activating of the new subscriber is on the same network.

71. The activation processing device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 65 to 70, wherein the processing means comprises processor-executable instructions stored therein for performing the method of any one of claims 1 to 25.

72. Activation interface device for remotely activating a new subscriber on a network of a provider using a used access module of an old subscriber, the activation interface device comprising:

Processing means for receiving at least one assignment of the used access module and communicating with an activation processing device to purge the old subscriber from a network and enable the new subscriber to use the used access module to access at least one service from a network, and

Communication means for use in enabling the processing means to communicate with the activation processing device.

73. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of claim 72, wherein the at least one assignment can be any one of an AMID, an SI or an Addressing Number.

74. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 72 and 73, wherein the communication means enables sending and receiving communications for activating the used access module with the activation processing device.

75. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 72 to 74, wherein the communication for purging and enabling includes at least one assignment of the used access module.

76. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 72 to 75, wherein the processing means is capable of receiving instructions from the activation interface device to delete at least one telephone number stored by the old subscriber in the used access module.

77. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 72 to 76, wherein the activation interface device is any one of a computer terminal capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device or a mobile communication device capable of communicating directly with the activation processing device.

78. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 72 to 77, wherein the activation interface device comprises a card reader capable of reading from and writing to the used access module.

79. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claim 72 to 78, wherein the purging of the old subscriber and the activating of the new subscriber is on the same network.

80. The activation interface device for activating a new subscriber on a used access module of any of claims 72 to 79, wherein the processing means comprises processor-executable instructions stored therein for performing the method of any one of claims 28 to 51.

81. A used access module of an old subscriber that has been activated for a new subscriber on a network of a provider, the used access module comprising information stored therein to enable a mobile communication device to executable instructions for enabling the new subscriber to access at least one service from a network.