Sim card activation

An authentication server arrangement for a mobile telephone network, the authentication server arrangement comprising:

• a home location register, HLR, arranged to receive an authentication request from the SIM in a mobile device;
• wherein the HLR is arranged, when the HLR does not contain an record that the SIM is activated and in response to the authentication request, to return a rejection of the authentication request and to further instigate a provisioning request to a provisioning server for the SIM;
• the authentication server arrangement further comprising the provisioning server arranged to receive the provisioning request from the HLR and to update the HLR record corresponding to the SIM to indicate that the SIM is activated such that subsequent authentication requests from the SIM are not rejected by the HLR.

A computer program product for a home location register in a mobile telephone network, the computer program product arranged to cause the home location register to carry out the steps:

• receiving in the home location register, HLR, an authentication request from the SIM in a mobile device;
• when the HLR does not contain an record that the SIM is activated and in response to the authentication request further instigating a provisioning request to a provisioning server for the SIM;
• in response to an activation message from the provisioning server in response to the provisioning request, updating the HLR record corresponding to the SIM to indicate that the SIM is activated such that subsequent authentication requests from the SIM are not rejected by the HLR.