Wireless communication network authentication

摘要

A method of authenticating a device subscribed to a first wireless communication network on a second wireless communication network, the method comprising: deriving, at a node within the first wireless communication network, a set of one or more network keys for the second wireless communication network, from one or more network keys of the first wireless communication network that uniquely identify the device within the first wireless communication network; communicating the derived set of keys to the device; storing a first copy of the derived set of keys within an identification module (such as a SIM) at the device and a second copy of the derived set of keys within a secure area of the device; and authenticating the device on the second wireless communication network using the second copy of the derived set of keys stored in the secure area of the device. The first and second networks may have different operators. The device may subsequently attach to the second network using the copy of derived keys stored in the identification module.