Virtual SIM card for mobile handsets

A method for restoring personal data for use in a user's mobile handset, comprising:

• requesting the user to enter an authentication credential into the mobile handset every time the mobile handset is powered up;
• receiving the entered authentication credentials at an authentication server via a cellular telephone network;
• authenticating the user if the entered authentication credential matches an authentication credential previously stored in an authentication database;
• granting access to personal data previously stored in a VSIM database if the user is authenticated;
• and
• transmitting personal data to the user's mobile handset for storage in an internal memory of the mobile handset,
• wherein the user's personal data is automatically transmitted every time the mobile handset is powered up.

A method for preserving personal data for use in a user's mobile handset, comprising:

• requesting the user to enter an authentication credential into the mobile handset every time the mobile handset is powered up;
• receiving the entered authentication credential at an authentication server via a cellular telephone network;
• authenticating the user if the entered authentication credential matches an authentication credential previously stored in an authentication database;
• granting the user access to modify personal data stored in a VSIM database if the user is authenticated;
• receiving personal data from the user's mobile handset via the cellular telephone network;
• and
• storing the received personal data to a VSIM database,
• wherein the user's personal data is automatically preserved every time the mobile handset is powered up.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for restoring personal data to a user's mobile handset, the computer executable instructions configured to cause a server to perform steps comprising:

• requesting the user to enter an authentication credential into the mobile handset upon power up of the handset;
• receiving the entered authentication credential via a cellular telephone network and providing the entered authentication credential at an authentication server;
• granting access to personal data previously stored in a VSIM database if the user is authenticated by the authentication server;
• and
• automatically transmitting via the cellular telephone network personal data to the user's mobile handset for storage in an internal memory of the mobile handset every time the mobile handset is powered up.

A system for transferring and preserving personal data for use in a user's mobile handset, comprising:

• a mobile handset having an internal memory, wherein the mobile handset is configured to access the internal memory for provisioning and user personal data;
• a VSIM server having a VSIM processor, wherein the VSIM server is configured to be accessible by the mobile handset via a cellular telephone network;
• a VSIM database in communication with the VSIM server, wherein the VSIM database is configured to store provisioning and personal data for use on the mobile handset;
• an authentication server having an authentication processor in communication with the VSIM server;
• and
• an authentication database in communication with the authentication server, wherein the VSIM server is configured to:
• receive from a user authentication information sent by the mobile handset via the cellular telephone network every time the mobile handset is powered up;
• and
• grant the user access to personal data in the VSIM database if the user is authenticated by the authentication processor.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein software instructions executable on a cellular telephone processor and configured to cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

• transmitting an authentication credential to an external server via a cellular telephone network every time the mobile handset is powered up;
• automatically receiving provisioning information via the cellular telephone network upon successful authentication;
• storing the received provisioning information in an internal memory unit;
• and
• using the provisioning data stored in the memory unit for placing and receiving calls from the cellular telephone network.