Serving roaming mobiles with incorrectly programmed identifiers

Abstract

A method is provided for supplying service to mobile stations (MS) () utilizing a wireless telecommunications network (A). Each of the MS has a home country and a home network and is programmed with an identifier comprising a number including a set of digits. Each identifier is one of two types including a first type of identifier that uniquely identifies its MS globally via the entire set of digits making up the identifier (e.g., a true International Mobile Station Identity (IMSI)) and a second type of identifier that uniquely identifies its MS within its home country via a subset of least significant digits making up the identifier (e.g., a Mobile Identification Number (MIN)-based IMSI). The method includes: obtaining the identifiers from MS entering the wireless telecommunications network during a study period; collecting a subset of most significant digits from each identifier obtained during the study period; compiling a list of digit patterns, each digit pattern in the list corresponding to one of the subsets of most significant digits collected; receiving identifiers from MS accessing the wireless telecommunications network; and, comparing the subsets of most significant digits of the received identifiers to the compiled list to determine which of the received identifiers are the first type and which are the second type of identifier.