Overview

In this chapter, we discuss the basic ANSI-41 wireless telecommunications network functions related to over-the-air service provisioning (OTASP). Note that the OTASP functions are standardized in TIA/EIA/IS-725 Revision A Cellular Radiotelecommunications Intersystem Operations Over-the-Air Service Provisioning (OTASP) & Parameter Administration (OTAPA). This interim standard provides modular extensions and functions defined as additions to ANSI-41. This is why we still refer to the OTASP operations as ANSI-41 operations.

This chapter is divided into the following categories:

• OTASP for ANSI/TIA/EIA-136 TDMA-based systems

• OTASP for ANSI/TIA/EIA-95 CDMA-based systems

For each category specific to CDMA and TDMA, the functions are subdivided into the following categories:

• OTASP automatic roaming functions, including call origination, registration, and authentication

• OTASP parameter transfer functions

• Over-the-air parameter activation (OTAPA) parameter transfer functions

We also examine the application processes associated with these functions. While many of the functions associated with OTASP have already been described in this book, we address the functions that have been modified for application to OTASP, such as authentication and the use of short-message service (SMS) transport.

In the course of describing the processes, we identify the ANSI-41 mobile application part (MAP) operations (e.g., OTASPRequest) used to accomplish basic OTASP process tasks. We summarize this information at the end of the chapter. Note that we employ the ANSI-41 convention for operation component acronyms; the Invoke component acronym is in all-capital letters (e.g., OTASPREQ), while the Return Result component acronym is in all-lowercase letters (e.g., otaspreq). Refer to the TIA/EIA/IS-725-A standard for the...