Configurable connectivity unit and method and system for configuring such a unit

A configuration service system for configuring a connectivity unit for communication with a service entity across a communications infrastructure, said connectivity unit having configuration communications parameters pre-installed therein prior to a user taking possession of the unit, the configuration service system comprising:

• a data processing system including a store for holding user-related information;
• a call center to which user-related information about a new user of a connectivity unit can be passed for entry into the data processing system for storage in said store;
• the user-related information including an identity data item;
• and
• interface means for interfacing the data processing system with the communications infrastructure whereby to enable communication between the data processing system and the connectivity unit of the new user;
• access to the data processing system through the interface means requiring knowledge of at least one said configuration communications parameter;
• the data processing system further including:
• means for accessing the user-related information held in said store on the basis of a said identity data item received across the communications infrastructure during the course of communication with a said connectivity unit, this identity data item serving to identify the connectivity unit to the data processing system;
• means for deriving for the connectivity unit of said new user, operational communication parameters on the basis of said user-related information;
• and
• means for transmitting said operational communications parameters to the connectivity unit operational for use by the latter for communicating with said service entity.

A connectivity unit for communicating with a service entity across a communications infrastructure, said connectivity unit comprising:

• a store holding configuration communications parameters including a public-key/private-key cryptographic key pair with an identity-sequence certificate linking the public key to an identity sequence specific to the connectivity unit;
• communication means for establishing communication across said communications infrastructure with a remote entity in accordance with communications parameters held in said store, the communications means including authentication means for authenticating the connectivity unit to the remote entity, the authentication means comprising means for passing a key certificate to the remote entity, and
• configuration initiation means for causing the communication means to establish communication across said communications infrastructure with a configuration service by using said configuration communications parameters held in said store, the said key certificate used by the authentication means being the identity-sequence certificate;
• download means for downloading operational communications parameters from the configuration service and storing them in said store;
• and
• operational control means for causing the communication means to establish communication across said communications infrastructure with said service entity by using said operational communications parameters held in said store.

A connectivity unit for communicating with a service entity across a communications infrastructure, said connectivity unit comprising:

• a store holding an identity sequence specific to the connectivity unit and pre-installed configuration communications parameters;
• communication means for establishing communication across said communications infrastructure with a remote entity in accordance with communications parameters held in said store,
• configuration initiation means for causing the communication means to establish communication across said communications infrastructure with a configuration service by using said configuration communications parameters held in said store;
• identification means operative upon the communication means establishing communication with the configuration service, to identify the connectivity unit to the configuration service on the basis of said identity sequence specific to the connectivity unit;
• download means for downloading operational communications parameters from the configuration service and storing them in said store;
• and
• operational control means for causing the communication means to establish communication across said communications infrastructure with said service entity by using said operational communications parameters held in said store;
• the configuration initiation means being responsive to the absence of valid operational communications parameters in said store upon the connectivity unit being powered up and connected to the communications infrastructure, to automatically trigger the communication means to establish communications with the configuration service without requiring the input of data by a user.