A method of operating a machine-to-machine, M2M, application server (401a, 401b, 401c) providing an M2M application, the method comprising: receiving, at the M2M application server, an M2M application identification, ID, from an M2M service device (101a, 101b, 103c, 103d), wherein the M2M application identification identifies an M2M application provided by the M2M application server and wherein the M2M application identification identifies a communication path between the M2M service device and the M2M application server, said M2M application identification enabling the M2M application server to communicate with the M2M service device over the identified communication path; receiving, at the M2M application server, an M2M service subscription identification and a M2M service hardware identification from the M2M service device; authorizing the M2M service device at the M2M application server based on the M2M service subscription identification and the M2M service hardware identification; and in response to the M2M service device being authorized, providing service according to the M2M application from the M2M application server to the M2M service device using the M2M application identification to identify the communications path between the M2M application server and the M2M service device, characterized in that the M2M service device communicates with the M2M application server both directly through a Radio Access Network, and indirectly through a transport device and the Radio Access Network, wherein when in direct communication, the M2M service device communicates with the M2M application server using the M2M service hardware ID, the M2M service subscription ID, a transport hardware ID distinct from the M2M hardware ID, and a transport subscription ID distinct from the M2M service subscription ID all assigned to the M2M service device, and when in indirect communication the M2M service device communicates with the M2M application server using the M2M service hardware ID and the subscription ID assigned to the M2M service device. receiving, at the M2M application server, an M2M application identification, ID, from an M2M service device (101a, 101b, 103c, 103d), wherein the M2M application identification identifies an M2M application provided by the M2M application server and wherein the M2M application identification identifies a communication path between the M2M service device and the M2M application server, said M2M application identification enabling the M2M application server to communicate with the M2M service device over the identified communication path; receiving, at the M2M application server, an M2M service subscription identification and a M2M service hardware identification from the M2M service device; authorizing the M2M service device at the M2M application server based on the M2M service subscription identification and the M2M service hardware identification; and in response to the M2M service device being authorized, providing service according to the M2M application from the M2M application server to the M2M service device using the M2M application identification to identify the communications path between the M2M application server and the M2M service device, characterized in that the M2M service device communicates with the M2M application server both directly through a Radio Access Network, and indirectly through a transport device and the Radio Access Network, wherein when in direct communication, the M2M service device communicates with the M2M application server using the M2M service hardware ID, the M2M service subscription ID, a transport hardware ID distinct from the M2M hardware ID, and a transport subscription ID distinct from the M2M service subscription ID all assigned to the M2M service device, and when in indirect communication the M2M service device communicates with the M2M application server using the M2M service hardware ID and the subscription ID assigned to the M2M service device.