White Paper on the Exhaust of Electronic Serial Numbers (ESNs) and Migration to Mobile Equipment Identifiers (MEIDs)

Transcription

1 White Paper n the Exhaust f Electrnic Serial Numbers (ESNs) and Migratin t Mbile Equipment Identifiers (MEIDs) Nvember DOCUMENT USE Items cnsidered in this ESN Migratin t MEID Whitepaper: ESN and exhaust. ESN migratin t MEID and status (MEID migratin is nt ptinal since ESN numbers will exhaust.) UIM_ID migratin t E-UIM_ID (e.g., SIM card-type applicatins) MEID infrmatin resurce 2 BACKGROUND In the early 1980s, the Federal Cmmunicatins Cmmissin ( FCC ) required that each wireless Cmmercial Mbile Radi Service ( CMRS ) handset in the United States have a unique identificatin number embedded r inscribed n the micrchip in a wireless phne by the manufacturer knwn as an Electrnic Serial Number ( ESN ). Shrtly thereafter, analg capacity was in high demand and digital technlgy was intrduced with Time Divisin Multiple Access ( TDMA ) and Cde Divisin Multiple Access ( CDMA ) standards and technlgies as tw ptins develped, with ESNs later essentially becming a glbal numbering resurce as the use f CDMA and TDMA standards spread internatinally. The use f a Remvable User Identity Mdule UIM ( R-UIM ; i.e., similar t a Subscriber Identity Mdule r SIM card) is an ptinal use with CDMA technlgy, primarily in nn-us markets at this time. The FCC administered glbal ESN pl assignments perating under the FCC Sectin until delegating this administrative functin t TIA in September f TIA develped and published ESN Assignment Guidelines and Prcedures n March 22, 1997 in preparatin fr the transitin f the administrative functin. 1

2 The wireless industry, as reflected by TIA s engineering cmmittee TR-45, published updated guidelines n March 15, 2000 requiring annual audit and cmpliance frms ( Frm G ) returns by ESN Manufacturer Cde Assignees fr audit purpses and n June 1, 2001 revised the guidelines t allw 14-bit Manufacturer MFR cdes fr mre ESN pl pprtunities and greater flexibility with assignments. [There are sixty-fur (64) blcks f 262,144 within each 8- bit ESN MFR Cde f 16,777,216 numbers]. Any finite numbering resurce can reach an exhaust pint (i.e., all available numbers are used r assigned). ESN exhaust is presently prjected t be as early as the January r February f 2008 (1Q2008). This date shuld nt be a surprise t anyne at this late juncture as service prviders and manufacturers have been n ntice f ESN exhaust fr many years and shuld have started planning lng ag fr the transitin t MEIDs and Expanded UIMs ( E-UIM_IDs ). The timeframe f ESN exhaustin has been frecasted and delayed fr many years as a result f superb administrative cnservatin and recvery actins by the TIA ESN Administratr under the guidance f TIA Engineering Cmmittee TR-45: Mbile and Persnal Cmmunicatins Systems Standards. The CDMA R-UIM serial numbers (UIM_IDs) are a separate pl f numbers but are currently derived frm the ESN pl, and use the same 32-bit structure as the ESN. They are presently derived primarily frm recveredl Analg/TDMA cde ranges (nn-cdma cdes). Thus, the exhaust timeframe fr the present generatin f R-UIM numbering resurces (UIM_ID) smewhat tracks with the ESN exhaust date. Hwever, even with the vluntary ESN assignment blck returns t the ESN Administratr, effrts t ascertain actual use and deplyment f all histrically allcated ESN MFR Cde resurces are tedius, and ften result in incmplete r uncertain findings. The successful effrts yield minimal unused ESN cde range resurces t be cnsidered fr ESN use fllwing the virgin ESN MFR Cde exhaust r substantial amunts f Analg/TDMA cde ranges fr the increasing demand f UIM_ID needs wrldwide. This is nt slely due t the unavailable recrds frm the early days f ESN assignments, but als frm the lack f respnses via certified letter frm previus ESN assignments t manufacturers cntacted as part f the afrementined recvery effrt. Many f these manufacturers are mst likely nt in business anymre and in sme cases prbably used little r any f their assigned ESNs frm the ver 4 billin universe f ESN numbering resurces. Hwever, prudence needs t be exercised, and assumptins abut past usage are nt made withut verifiable histrical data and withut cnsulting with service prviders and clearinghuse/mediatin vendrs. Given the severe cnsequences f ESN exhaustin t the industry and mbile custmers, slutins were develped t intrduce an expanded device-level serial number t replace the ESN which is knwn as a Mbile Equipment Identifier r MEID during an April, 2002 Numbering Jint Experts Meeting (JEM). Similar R-UIM slutins were develped t replace the UIM_ID with Expanded UIM_IDs, knwn as E-UIM_IDs and Stage 1 requirements fr E- UIM_IDs were published in March, The Glbal Hexadecimal Administratr ( GHA ) assigns MEID Hexadecimal cde prefixes. The TIA, which already acts as the ESN Administratr, als acts as the GHA. MEID assignments are als crdinated with the Glbal Decimal Administratr ( GDA ) fr devices that als perate in GSM r UMTS mdes needing t acquire decimal ranges fr MEID multimde Mbile Equipment ( ME ) assignments. The ESN assignment and MEID assignment prcesses are bth dne in parallel tday t ensure a smth migratin frm ESNs t MEIDs. Once ESNs exhaust, nly MEIDs will be assigned and there will be n virgin ESN resurces t assign fr manufacturing f mbile equipment. Similarly, the impending exhaust f UIM_IDs will require a migratin t E-UIM_IDs fr use in CDMA R-UIM mbile equipment. During the transitin, befre all systems that a custmer may ram nt are capable f prcessing MEIDs, a pseud ESN is derived frm an MEID via a hashing algrithm fr 2

3 backward cmpatibility with legacy systems infrastructure and back-ffice systems capable f prcessing nly ESNs. (This pseud-esn has been in use since the intrductin f phnes that nly use an MEID, since circa secnd half 2006.) 1 fr backward cmpatibility with legacy systems infrastructure and back ffice systems capable f prcessing nly ESNs. The pseud- ESN is a stp-gap measure and is nt intended fr a lng term delay f MEID system implementatins. Since the pseud ESN cannt be uniquely assigned, cllisins can ccur between MEID-equipped mbile devices. We hpe the apprach f implementing a pseud-esn will result in an extremely lw prbability f any cllisin prblems during this transitin, althugh the prbability f such cllisins is related t the number f pseud-esns used in a particular gegraphic area. The Cllisins Whitepaper fund at discusses the effects f such cllisins and the frequency at which they are likely t ccur. CURRENT STATUS A tw-prng apprach (i.e., Industry Awareness and Standards develpment) t assure the smth transitin frm ESN t MEID has been implemented. The current status is as fllws: First, the ESN Administratr has cntacted (r attempted t cntact) ESN MFR Cde assignees t recver a prtin r prtins f ESNs that had been assigned but pssibly nt used previusly, and which culd nw be re-assigned r used fr UIM_ID derivatin. Sme cmpanies in the industry have prvided details n which ESNs have gne unused within ESN blcks that were previusly allcated r have prvided infrmatin as t which technlgy type thse ESNs were used with. Secnd, the ESN Administratr has changed the methd f allcating ESN cdes, using nly the 14-bit ranges (smaller blcks f cdes) t extend the availability f virgin ESN cdes during the migratin t the new MEID numbering methd. Third, TIA TR-45, alng with its ESN/UIM/MEID Ad Hc grup wrking with ther TIA Engineering Cmmittees and 3GPP2 grups, has wrked diligently cmpleting and adpting standards and specificatins fr ESN transitin t MEID. The MEID-related standards are cmpleted and publicly available. Additinal infrmatin is available n the TIA web site ( The MEID s dramatically larger 56-bit structure shuld prvide enugh serial numbers, barring any unfreseen event, t last fr many years t cme. [The MEID universe cnsists f apprximately 16 millin blcks f 16 millin numbers, cmpared t the ESN universe f 256 blcks f 16 millin numbers]. Finally, recent utreach crrespndence with executive targeting at the CTO level is yielding increased glbal awareness with fast-track scheduling f glbal educatin campaigns under the auspices f the CDMA Develpment Grup (CDG). Additinally, the Wireless Clearinghuse and Mediatin vendrs are believed t be ready and wrk 1 The pseud-esn is nt intended fr a lng-term delay f MEID system implementatins. Since the pseud ESN cannt be uniquely assigned, these types f cllisins can ccur between MEIDequipped phnes. This industry apprach will result in an extremely lw prbability f any cllisin prblems during the transitin, althugh the prbability f such cllisins is directly related t the number f pseud-esns used in a particular gegraphic area. The cllisins Whitepaper fund at discusses the effects f such cllisins and the frequency at which they are likely t ccur. 3

4 clsely with TIA and the industry tward full industry-wide implementatin f MEID and E-UIM_ID. 2.1 GLOSSARY 3GPP2 Third Generatin Partnership Prject 2 CDG CDMA Develpment Grup CDMA Cde Divisin Multiple Access CMRS - Cmmercial Mbile Radi Service. A mbile service (r functinal equivalent) that is (1) prvided fr prfit, (2) an intercnnected service, and (3) available t the public, r t such classes f eligible users as t be effectively available t a substantial prtin f the public. ESN - The Electrnic Serial Number which uniquely identifies the mbile statin. Each ESN is a 32-bit number cnsisting f tw cmpnents: a manufacturer ID cde field and a mbile serial number field. The MFR Cde number range is 000 t 256. E-UIM_ID - Expanded R-UIM Identity FCC - Federal Cmmunicatins Cmmissin GDA Glbal Decimal Administratr GHA Glbal Hexadecimal Administratr IMEI Internatinal Mbile Equipment Identity. A number similar in purpse t an ESN r MEID that is unique and used with GSM r UMTS mbile equipment. ME - Mbile Equipment. (See als Mbile statin r R-UIM ) MEID - Mbile Equipment IDentifier, uniquely identifies the mbile statin. Each MEID is a 56- bit number encded in Hexadecimal (base 16) frmat. MS - Mbile Statin, Interface equipment used t terminate the radi path at the user side. The mbile statin cntains an Electrnic Serial Number r ther identificatin infrmatin, such as either a Mbile Identificatin Number (MIN) r an Internatinal Mbile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) numbering accrdance with Internatinal Telecmmunicatin Unin Recmmendatin E.212. R-UIM - Remvable User Identificatin Mdule, ften called the Subscriber Identity Mdule (SIM) card. Serial Number - The prtin f the MEID r IMEI that uniquely identifies the MS within the Manufacturer cde allcatin space. TDMA Time Divisin Multiple Access TIA Telecmmunicatins Industry Assciatin 4

5 2.2 Revisin Histry Versin 0.1 September 2007, TIA MEID Whitepaper Initial Draft Versin 0.2 September 2007, TIA MEID Whitepaper updated Draft Versin 1.0 TBD, TIA MEID Whitepaper 2.3 Related MEID Resurces Please see the TIA Website at and fr related FAQ, dcuments and crrespndence. - CDG MEID and E-UIM_ID Migratin Whitepaper (under develpment) 2.4 Required Actins Careful review f service prvider "back ffice systems t determine hw the migratin t MEIDs will affect their systems is essential. In particular, sftware fr these systems may need t be updated and tested in advance f MEID implementatin in systems. Service Prviders shuld: Investigate all internal uses f ESNs by applicatin (Fraud, Revenue Assurance, IT, Repair and Custmer Service, Netwrk, Raming, Service Cntracts etc.). Check with their infrastructure vendrs fr system update scheduling that may be necessary. Make sure that their Rating and Billing Clearinghuse vendrs have MEID scheduled fr their implementatin. Ensure that raming partners have als implemented MEID s that their custmers will nt experience prblems when raming n thse partners netwrks. Handset manufacturers shuld wrk clsely with their service prviders t ensure all newly intrduced handsets are MEID-prvisined, with ESNs nly being used t supprt existing mdels thrugh their end-f-life. Wrldwide cdma2000 service prviders add apprximately 6 t 7 millin new subscribers every mnth. Over 200 millin cdma2000 handsets were sld last year. This highlights the urgency fr service prviders t migrate t MEID as well as E-UIM_ID derived frm MEID resurces rather quickly t avid any negative impacts. Thugh ESN migratin t MEID is further alng than UIM_ID migratin t E-UIM_ID in implementatins seen t date, the industry is encuraged t implement MEID withut delay and the dmestic and internatinal deplyments f MEID and E-UIM_ID need t be expeditius. Every service prvider/vendr shuld perfrm interperability tests ASAP as part f their implementatin f MEID and E-UIM_ID. 5

6 2.5 Summary This White Paper is intended t further the understanding f ESN exhaust. It is intentined t prvide accessible infrmatin t advance understanding amng thse wh require this infrmatin, but wh may nt be engineers r experts in wireless technlgies. This White Paper is als intended t clearly state that n intermediate slutin exists shuld cmpanies fail t implement and test MEID and E_UIM_ID slutins prir t the exhaust f ESNs. Recvery f previusly issued numbers cannt meet increased glbal demand, and use f previusly issued cdes carries with it risk f service denial fr custmers and ther back ffice issues fr custmers and service prviders. Effrts have been made t cnsult with service prviders and clearinghuses/mediatin vendrs t minimize these pssibilities. The effrt t infrm decisin makers f the need t mve their cmpanies int MEID technlgy has been taking place fr many years. This White Paper is a cntinuatin f the prcess t infrm and educate as wide an audience as pssible. 6