SIM Configuration Parameters
The ATR (Answer to Reset) conveys information about the communication parameters proposed by the card, and the card’s nature and state. By extension, ATR often refers to a message obtained from a Smart Card in an early communication stage; or from the smart card reader used to access that card, which may transform the card’s message into an ATR-like format (this occurs e.g. for some PC/SC card readers when accessing an ISO/IEC 14443 Smart Card).
The ATR is the string of characters These characters consist of an initial character, TS, followed by a maximum of 32 additional characters. Together, these characters provide information to the terminal about how to communicate with the card for the remainder of the session.
The ATR message contains information on proposed card communication parameters, card’s manufacturer or issuer, application selection options, country code and more. The ATR functionality is fully documented in ISO/IEC 7816 and many more documents, however those documents focus on Smart Cards in general and not payment cards.
ICCID stands for Integrated Circuit Card Identification Number. It’s a unique 18–22 digit code that includes a SIM card’s country, home network, and identification number. You’ll usually find an ICCID printed on the back of a SIM card, but sometimes it’s included in the packaging materials instead.
IMSI
IMSI stands for “International Mobile Subscriber Identity.” It’s a mobile subscriber’s unique identification number. Like an ICCID, an IMSI is saved on the SIM card. Most SIM cards only store a single IMSI, which is associated with a list of networks the subscriber is authorized to access. EMnify’s SIMs, however, are Multi-IMSI, meaning they store multiple subscriber identities. This allows the SIM to change identities to access more networks and select the one with the best coverage.
An IMSI is not the same as a telephone number. The IMSI number has up to 15 digits and consists of three parts:
The first three digits are the Mobile Country Code (MCC). This can be used to determine the home country of the operator that issued the SIM card. The IMSI of European countries always starts with the number 2.
The following two or three digits are the Mobile Network Code, which represents the network the user is active in. For example, the number 01 represents Deutsche Telekom.
All subsequent numbers are specifically assigned to the user, and no two users share the same IMSI number.
IMEI
The International Mobile Station Equipment Identity, or IMEI for short, is one unique 15-digit serial number that can be used to uniquely identify each mobile radio terminal (your device). It includes four parts:
The first two digits indicate the reporting body identifier showing Type Allocation Code (TAC) by GSMA approval group.
The next six digits are the TAC.
The six digits after that uniquely identify the individual device.
The final number is the check digit, which helps prevent errors in equipment databases.
There are also “software versions” of IMEIs, referred to as IMEISVs. In an IMEISV, there is no check digit, and the last two digits represent the Software Version Number (SVN).
IMSI = International Mobile Subscriber Identity. This is a unique identifier that defines a subscriber in the wireless world, including the country and mobile network to which the subscriber belongs. It has the format MCC-MNC-MSIN. MCC = Mobile Country Code (e.g. 310 for USA); MNC = Mobile Network Code (e.g. 410 for AT&T), MSIN = sequential serial number. All signaling and messaging in GSM and UMTS networks uses the IMSI as the primary identifier of a subscriber.
The IMSI is one of the pieces of information stored on a SIM card.
ICCID = Integrated Circuit Card ID. This is the identifier of the actual SIM card itself — i.e. an identifier for the SIM chip. It is possible to change the information contained on a SIM (including the IMSI), but the identify of the SIM itself remains the same.
IMEI is short for International Mobile Equipment Identity and is a unique number given to every single mobile phone, typically found behind the battery.
IMEI numbers of cellular phones connected to a GSM network are stored in a database (EIR — Equipment Identity Register) containing all valid mobile phone equipment.
When a phone is reported stolen or is not type approved, the number is marked invalid.
MSISDN \= Mobile Station ISDN number. This is the full phone number of a subscriber, including the national country code (e.g. 1 for US, 44 for UK, etc.). The purpose of the MSISDN is simply to allow a device to be called. A subscriber can have multiple MSISDNs (e.g. one phone number for business, one for personal calls, one for fax, etc.), but generally only one IMSI. The MSISDN does not need to be stored on the SIM card. In cases where it is stored on the SIM, the main reason is so that the user can use check to see what their own MSISDN is (in case they forget). The MSISDN is never signaled to of from the device.
The PIN (Personal Identification Number) code is intended to protect your SIM Card from unauthorized use. We have set a default PIN 1234 for every SIM Card. We suggest that you change it. No one can ever find the changed PIN, as you enter it right into your telephone.
The PUK (Personal Unblocking Key) code is a code consisting of 8 digits. It is used to unblock your SIM card when you entered 3 times a wrong PIN code. A card blocked by the PUK code cannot be unblocked; it cannot be used any further and you have to replace it.
What do I have to do when I have forgotten my PIN or blocked the card by entering incorrect PIN?
After having entered the PIN code incorrectly three times, the SIM Card gets blocked. When you enter the PUK code, you will unblock the card.
You have 10 attempts to enter the correct PUK code. After that, the card will be blocked entirely and you will no longer be able to use it.
After having entered the PUK code, the telephone will ask you to enter a new PIN. We suggest choosing a PIN code other than 1234. Subsequently, you will have to enter the new PIN once more, for verification
Abbreviated dialing numbers (ADN) — phone book entries kept on the SIM.
Abbreviated dialing is the use of a very short digit sequence to reach specific telephone numbers, such as those of public services. The purpose of such numbers is to be universal, short, and easy to remember. Typically they are two or three digits.
Administrative (ADM) — The card issuer who provides SIM to the subscriber can access only after the prescribed requirements for administrative access are fulfilled.
The Authentication Key (Ki). The Ki is a unique 128-bit value assigned to the SIM by an operator and is used with the derived operator code (OPc) to authenticate a user. It must be a 32-character string, containing hexadecimal characters only.
The derived operator code (OPc). The OPc is taken from the SIM’s Ki and the network’s operator code (OP). The packet core instance uses it to authenticate a user using a standards-based algorithm. The OPc must be a 32-character string, containing hexadecimal characters only.
OP: Operator Code : It is allotted to an operator and used in key generation algorithms of 3G and 4G. It is not shown as a part of input, because it is not specific to a user/Subscriber/SIM. It remains fix for all Subscriber/SIM of an operator that is why it is not used as an input to key generation algorithms.
This OP (a 128-bits Operator Variant Algorithm Configuration Field)value is passed to an encryption algorithm (“RijndaelEncrypt”) to generate OPc and OPc is used in all f1,f2,f3,f4,f5 functions internally to generate various keys
The PLMN is the term used to describe all mobile wireless networks that use earth-based stations rather than satellites.
A PLMN is identified by a globally unique PLMN code, which consists of a MCC (Mobile Country Code) and MNC (Mobile Network Code). Hence, it is a five- to six-digit number identifying a country, and a mobile network operator in that country, usually represented in the form 001–01 or 001–001.
Every SIM card has an HPLMN, where the subscriber profile is configured. While roaming, a subscriber changes its location, this may change in roaming PLMN. The new one may be the same as HPLMN or its other network’s PLMN. If an Airtel sim card is purchased from New Delhi, India. Subscriber’s HPLMM is in New Delhi, India.
In roaming, a subscriber attaches to the core network via the access network. The roaming core network belongs to a PLMN. This is called Visiting Public Land Mobile Network or VPLMN. The VPLMN and HPLMN can be the same or different, depending upon the location of the mobile phone and the serving mobile operator. A mobile operator has VPLMN based changing and roaming policies.
Equivalent PLMN. If a subscriber roams in Home PLMN there is no roaming. A Subscriber always sees the signals of the home mobile network operator. An operator may not have much coverage, so they do collaborate with other mobile operators, where the roaming will not be applied. This is called EPLMN or EHPLMN. Subscriber has the impression that he is in his home network. E.g The IDEA network in India might not have coverage in some cities. There it can use another mobile operator (e.g Airtel).
HPPLMN stands for “Higher Priority PLMN search period” (Be careful. This is a Timer value, not a PLMN).
This parameter specifies the interval of time between searches for a higher priority PLMN.
The PLMN field contains a list of home networks (MCC/MNC).
The FPLMN field is there for “forbidden” PLMN, as such you can place public networks here to make sure your devices won’t try to connect there.
The SMSP field is the SMS Center. Some devices insist on this being set, others ignore it
The MSISDN is basically there for a phone number connected to the SIM. This setting is only visible for the client device and not relevant for the network
The SPN (Service Provider Name) is the network name string you will be able to see on your device when it’s connected to the home network.
The SIM card can also contain two Group Identifiers (GID1) and (GID2). The GSM Service Provider is the only entity to modify these two fields in order to identify a group of SIM cards for particular applications and associations.
ECC stands for Emergency Call Codes. This field contains the list of Emergency Call Codes. the emergency call code is of a variable length with a maximum length of 6 digits. Each emergency call code is coded on three bytes, with each digit within the code being coded on four bits as shown below. If a code of less than 6 digits is chosen, then the unused nibbles shall be set to ‘F’ (Refer to 31.102 4.2.21 EFECC for the detailed data format)
OPLMNwACT stands for Operator controlled PLMN selector with Access Technology. This parameter is set by Network Operator. This is where Network operator put another networks which has roaming agreements with. This parameter contains the list of (PLMN, Access Technology) pairs. These PLMNs are listed in decreasing order of priority, meaning the first PLMN has the highest priority.
HPLMNwACT stands for ‘HPLMN with Access Technology’. Basically there is where your HPLMN and list of avaiable Access Technologies are stored. This parameter contains the list of (PLMN, Access Technology) pairs. These PLMNs are listed in decreasing order of priority, meaning the first PLMN has the highest priority.
PLMNwACT stands for ‘User Controlled PLMN with Access Technology’. This parameter contains the list of (PLMN, Access Technology) pairs. This information is determined by the user and defines the preferred PLMNs of the user in priority order.
These PLMNs are listed in decreasing order of priority, meaning the first PLMN has the highest priority. This parameter plays important roles to determine which PLMN should be selected first under various cell selection, reselection test.
A USRP Software Defined Radio Device provides a software-defined RF architecture to design, prototype, and deploy wireless systems with custom signal processing.
The USRP N310 is a networked software defined radio (SDR) that provides reliability and fault-tolerance for deployment in large-scale and distributed wireless systems. The USRP N310 device simplifies control and management of a network of radios by introducing the unique capability to remotely perform tasks such as updating software, rebooting, factory resetting, self-testing, host PC/ARM debugging and monitoring system health.
Software-defined radio is a concept according to which RF communication is achieved by using software (or firmware) to perform signal-processing tasks that are typically performed by hardware.
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