Secure remote subscription module access

An arrangement for granting access to a subscription module (102;302) in a communications system, the arrangement comprising a client communications terminal (106) and a server communications terminal (101) including the subscription module, the client and server communications terminals each comprising respective communications means (110,104;305) for establishing a communications link (115) between the client communications terminal and the server communications terminal, and for communicating data related to the subscription module between the server communications terminal and the client communications terminal via the communications link;

• characterised in that the subscription module further comprises processing means (103,103a) adapted to authenticate the client communications terminal using a key-based authentication procedure, and to grant access to the subscription module conditioned on a result of the authentication procedure.

An arrangement according to claim 15, characterised in that the communications link is a wireless communications link.

An arrangement according to claim 14 or 16, characterised in that the server communications terminal, the communications means of the server communications terminal, and the subscription module are physically included in a single unit.

A server communications terminal (101) comprising a subscription module (102;302) and communications means (104;305) for establishing a communications link (115) with a client communications terminal (106) and for communicating data related to the subscription module with the client communications terminal via the communications link;

• characterised in that the subscription module comprises processing means (103,103a) adapted to authenticate the client communications terminal using a key-based authentication procedure, and to grant access to the subscription module conditioned on a result of the authentication procedure.

A client communications terminal (106) comprising communications means (110) for establishing a communications link (115) with a server communications terminal (101) including a subscription module (102), and for communicating data related to the subscription module with the server communications terminal via the communications link;

• characterised in that the client communications terminal comprises processing means (109) adapted to perform a key-based authentication procedure cooperatively with the subscription module allowing the subscription module to authenticate the client communications terminal and to grant access to the subscription module conditioned on a result of the authentication procedure.

A subscription module (102;302) for use with a server communications terminal (101), the server communications terminal including communications means (104;

• 305) for establishing a communications link (115) with a client communications terminal (106) and for communicating data related to the subscription module with the client communications terminal via the communications link;
• characterised in that the subscription module comprises processing means (103,103a) adapted to, when the subscription module is in connection with the server communications terminal, authenticate the client communications terminal using a key-based authentication procedure, and to grant access to the subscription module conditioned on a result of the authentication procedure.