No-cost mobile device messaging, such as for provisioning an application on a mobile device

A method of provisioning an application stored in a mobile device, the method performed by a mobile device having a processor, a radio, and a memory, the method comprising:

• sending a request to a network to establish a data channel with a data network, wherein the data network is represented by a special identifier, and wherein the request to establish a data channel with the data network identifies the data network using the special identifier;
• receiving an indication that the data channel has been established;
• requesting provisioning data from a remote data store;
• receiving provisioning data from the remote data store;
• and
• provisioning an application using the provisioning data received from the remote data store.

A network-based system for provisioning applications for multiple mobile devices, the system comprising:

• means for receiving a request from the mobile device to establish a data channel between the mobile device and a data network resource, wherein the data network resource is represented by a predetermined identifier, and wherein the mobile device identifies the data network resource using the predetermined identifier;
• means for establishing a data channel between the mobile device and the data network resource when the predetermined identifier corresponds to the data stored in the data storage area;
• means for identifying provisioning data for provisioning the application;
• and,
• means for providing the identified provisioning data to the mobile device, wherein the provisioning data is for provisioning an application stored or to be stored in the mobile device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents cause a mobile device, wirelessly coupled to a network, to perform a method to provision an application, the method comprising:

• at the mobile device, wirelessly receiving, at a predetermined port, a message via the wireless network;
• at the mobile device, identifying the received message as a provisioning message;
• and,
• provisioning the application using provisioning data, wherein:
• the provisioning data is included in the provisioning message;
• or
• the provisioning data is received from a network location identified in the provisioning message, and wherein the network location is accessible by the mobile device via the wireless network.

A method to permit communications between a wireless mobile device and a fee-based wireless cellular telephone network without incurring charges for the mobile device, wherein the wireless cellular telephone network employs a wireless communications protocol, the method comprising:

• communicating information to the mobile device over the fee-based wireless cellular telephone network without incurring charges for the mobile device by either:
• (i) at the wireless cellular telephone network, receiving at least one request signal, under the wireless communications protocol, to establish a data channel with a data network or resource of the data network,
• wherein the data network or data resource is represented by at least one predetermined network address, and
• wherein the request to establish the data channel includes the predetermined network address;
• when the wireless cellular telephone network recognizes or accepts the predetermined network address, then providing to the mobile device an affirmative message,
• wherein the wireless cellular telephone network does not assess a charge to the mobile device for either the provided affirmative message or the received request signal, and
• wherein the mobile device, in response to receiving the affirmative message, performs a specific local action on the mobile device based on data stored at the mobile device;
• or,
• (ii) at the wireless cellular telephone network, providing to the mobile device at least one port-specific message addressed to at least one predetermined port of the mobile device;
• wherein the mobile device, in response to receiving the port-specific message, performs a specific local action on the mobile device based on data stored at the mobile device.