howto: identify a mobile phone user

Is there a standard or operator independent way to identify a mobile phone
or a mobile SIM card. I am surprised to learn that there is no such thing,
or I am a wrong?

Wireless environments should be designed to minimize user input. Entering
authentication information, every time using a service does not make sense.
Even more knowing that PKI is available on the SIM card.

Any comments?
TIA, Mitja Semolic

In article <7Q4Za.995$(E-Mail Removed)>,
"Mitja Semolic" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> howto: identify a mobile phone user

He's the one with the brain damage.

| Is there a standard or operator independent way to identify a mobile phone
| or a mobile SIM card.

When you use your own WAP gateway, you can get user phone number. If your
application is going trough standard HTTP and gateway of operator, then it
depends on operator, what information he would provide you. Generally
provides nothing.

--
Michal A. Valasek, Altair Communications, http://www.altaircom.net
Please do not reply to this e-mail, for contact see http://www.rider.cz
Keeping Freedom safe from Democracy

"David Taylor" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Is there a standard or operator independent way to identify a mobile
phone
> > or a mobile SIM card. I am surprised to learn that there is no such
thing,
> > or I am a wrong?
> >
> > Wireless environments should be designed to minimize user input.
Entering
> > authentication information, every time using a service does not make
sense.
> > Even more knowing that PKI is available on the SIM card.
>
> Well maybe, but on the other hand, posession of a phone doesn't imply
> ownership. How would it work if my bank authenticated my by my phone
> number or sim card and the phone was stolen?
>
> Similarly, offering a certificate (which is an option) might suffer the
> same problem without additional credentials being offered.
>
> All in though, I think you're in the wrong newsgroup to pursue this I
> suspect.

I agree he is in the wrong news group for this question, he should try one
of the cellular or pcs news groups. But as for identifying a mobile phone,
yes it is possible, and it is done via the HLR (home location register).
But you would be hard pressed to have a wireless phone company giving out
that information to anyone other than the owner of the phone in question.
>
> David.