Allocating identifiers to communication devices

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory including computer program code,
• wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to, at least,
• send from an application server, a request for a pre-provisioned routing identifier;
• in response to the request from the application server, dynamically allocate for a period of time, the pre-provisioned routing identifier from a pool of pre-provisioned identifiers for a subscription when there is a need for communication from the application server towards a device operating according to the subscription;
• using the request, create an association between the pre-provisioned routing identifier and a subscription identifier in a subscription database;
• and
• de-allocate the pre-provisioned routing identifier by the application server,
• wherein the de-allocation occurs in connection with one or several processes selected from the following:
• a process of the application server sending a message to the device, or
• a process of the application server calling the device.

An apparatus comprising:

• a subscription database;
• a front end which is configured to communicate with an application server;
• and
• a database handling part configured to modify the subscription database, wherein the front end is configured to
• receive, from the application server, a request for a pre-provisioned routing identifier,
• in response to the request from the application server, dynamically allocate for a period of time, the pre-provisioned routing identifier from a pool of pre-provisioned routing identifiers for a subscription when there is a need for communication from the application server towards a device operating according to the subscription,
• allocate the pre-provisioned routing identifier to a subscription, and wherein the database handling part is configured to create an association between the pre-provisioned routing identifier and a subscription identifier in the subscription database,
• wherein, following allocation, the apparatus is configured to de-allocate the pre-provisioned routing identifier, and
• wherein the de-allocation occurs in connection with one or several processes selected from the following:
• a process of the application server sending a message to the device, or
• a process of the application server calling the device.

A communication system, comprising:

• an application server configured to send a request for a pre-provisioned routing identifier;
• and
• a database application configured to
• receive the pre-provisioned request,
• in response to the request from the application server, dynamically allocate for a period of time, the pre-provisioned routing identifier from a pool of pre-provisioned routing identifiers for a subscription when there is a need for communication from the application server towards a device operating according to the subscription,
• allocate the pre-provisioned routing identifier to a subscription, and
• use the request to create an association between the pre-provisioned routing identifier and a subscription identifier in a subscription database,
• wherein, following allocation, the system is configured to de-allocate the pre-provisioned routing identifier, and
• wherein the de-allocation occurs in connection with one or several processes selected from the following:
• a process of the application server sending a message to the device, or
• a process of the application server calling the device.

A computer program product comprising software code embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said software code, when executed on a computing system, controls the computing system to perform a method, comprising:

• sending from an application server a request for a pre-provisioned routing identifier;
• in response to the request from the application server, dynamically allocating for a period of time, the pre-provisioned routing identifier from a pool of pre-provisioned routing identifiers for a subscription when there is a need for communication from the application server towards a device operating according to the subscription;
• using the request to create an association between the pre-provisioned routing identifier and a subscription identifier in a subscription database;
• and
• de-allocating the pre-provisioned routing identifier, wherein the de-allocation occurs in connection with one or several processes selected from the following:
• a process of the application server sending a message to the device, or
• a process of the application server calling the device.