A METHOD FOR DETECTING COPYING OF SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY (IMSI) IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND A NETWORK ELEMENT OF A MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SAID METHOD

摘要

A method and apparatus implementing the method for detecting copying of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) in a mobile communication network in which the location on mobile stations (MS) is updated in at least one register (HLR, VLR) of the network. According to the method, the number (N) of at least one type of location updating (advantageously inter-MSC) is monitored within a predetermined monitoring period (e.g. 24 hours). This number (N) is compared to a predetermined threshold value (Nmax), and if the number (N) of location updating exceeds the predetermined the predetermined threshold value (Nmax), a signal indicative of the exceeding will generated.