Patent ID: 7599681

Claim:
A method for over-the-air (OTA) activation of a wireless unit in a particular communications system, the method comprising: employing a processor of the wireless unit for executing computer executable instructions to perform the following acts: storing a key at the wireless unit, the stored key generated by using a key algorithm (K-algorithm) with an identifier associated with the wireless unit as an input to the K-algorithm; receiving wireless unit parameters and a verification number OTA, the wireless unit parameters including an identification of the particular communications system, generating the verification number by using an authorization algorithm (A-algorithm) having the wireless unit parameters and the stored key as A-algorithm inputs; in response to receipt of the wireless unit parameters and the verification number, generating a trial verification number by using the A-algorithm with the wireless unit parameters and the stored key as trial inputs; comparing the verification number to the trial verification number for a match; and in response to finding the match, using the wireless unit parameters for activation of the wireless unit in the particular communications system.