Device initiated card provisioning via bearer independent protocol

A mobile wireless device comprising:

• a user identity module (UIM) card;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• detect a user command to provision the UIM card;
• read a provisioning status of the UIM card from a UIM card provisioning status file in the UIM card, wherein the UIM card provisioning status file includes at least fields for the UIM card provisioning status, a UIM card software version and a UIM card provisioning date/time;
• and
• when the provisioning status is “not provisioned”,
• establish a bearer independent protocol (BIP) data connection to a server in a wireless network;
• and
• exchange provisioning data between the server and the UIM card until the UIM card commands the processor to close the BIP data connection.

Computer program product encoded in a non-transitory computer readable medium for provisioning a user identity module (UIM) card executed by a processor in a mobile wireless device, the computer program product comprising:

• computer program code for detecting a user or processor command to provision the UIM card;
• computer program code for reading a provisioning status of the UIM card from a UIM card provisioning status file in the UIM card;
• and
• computer program code for, when the provisioning status is “not provisioned”,
• establishing a bearer independent protocol (BIP) data connection to a server in a wireless network;
• and
• exchanging provisioning data between the server and the UIM card until the UIM card commands the processor to close the BIP data connection.