Patent ID: 8406758

Claim:
A method for managing the automatic provision of a subscriber network identifier from a central network server to a subscribed communication device, the method comprising: receiving notification at the central server relating to a change in the current location for the subscribed device by receiving a notification from an HLR scanner, the HLR scanner being arranged to detect a location update message received by a Home Location Register (HLR) to which the subscribed device is subscribed, the location update message corresponding to the change in current location of the subscribed device; determining from the notification and from a list of subscriber network identifiers allocated to the subscribed device whether a new subscriber network identifier is to be provisioned from the central server by retrieving an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) list from the HLR for the subscribed device, the IMSI list comprising all of the IMSIs which are allocated to the subscribed device, and determining if the IMSI list comprises an IMSI which is appropriate for the current location of the subscribed device, wherein the step of determining whether an IMSI is appropriate is based on previously determined preferences for the subscribed device; selecting a subscriber network identifier on the basis of the current location, if the determining step has determined that a new subscriber network identifier is to be provisioned; and outputting the selected subscriber network identifier for transmission to the subscribed device and adding the selected subscriber network identifier to the list of subscriber network identifiers allocated to the subscribed device, wherein the subscriber network identifier is an IMSI.