Question

Difficulty: MediumMobile Device Hardware and Display Issues

A field technician is configuring new mobile devices for a remote employee. The employee reports two separate issues: their corporate smartphone cannot authenticate on the cellular network after inserting a provisioned SIM card, and their laptop cannot transmit video signals when plugged into an external USB Type-C monitor. Which TWO of the following statements correctly identify the underlying causes of these issues? (Select TWO.)

  1. Cellular network device authentication requires registering the phone's unique IMEI physical hardware identifier, which is distinct from the SIM card's IMSI subscriber identifier.Answer
  2. Transmitting video over a USB Type-C connection requires the host device port to explicitly support DisplayPort Alternate Mode or Thunderbolt protocol.Answer
  3. C
    Cellular carriers use the IMSI number embedded on the SIM card as the permanent physical device serial number to register phone hardware.
  4. D
    All standard USB Type-C ports inherently provide native DisplayPort video signal output regardless of host chipset or protocol support.

Answer

The correct statements are that cellular network authentication requires registering the phone's unique IMEI hardware identifier (distinct from the SIM card's IMSI), and video output over USB Type-C requires explicit host support for DisplayPort Alternate Mode or Thunderbolt.
The solution is correct because cellular carriers track and provision physical device hardware using the IMEI while tracking subscriber accounts using the IMSI on the SIM card. Additionally, display output over USB Type-C requires hardware controller support for DisplayPort Alt Mode or Thunderbolt, as the physical port form factor alone does not ensure video capability.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the cellular authentication issue on the smartphone
Recognize that mobile cellular networks identify physical hardware using the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) and subscriber user accounts using the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity).
Swapping a SIM card changes or provides the IMSI, but the network carrier must also authorize the physical hardware's IMEI on the network.
2
Analyze the video display issue on the USB Type-C connected laptop
Identify that the physical USB Type-C connector carries data, power, and video only if the host port hardware controller supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode (Alt Mode) or Thunderbolt protocols.
Not all USB Type-C ports support video output; some are restricted to USB data transfer and power delivery.

Key Concept

Mobile Device Identifiers (IMEI vs. IMSI) and USB Type-C Video Output Protocols (Alt Mode / Thunderbolt)
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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