A mobile device technician is troubleshooting various cellular connectivity and device provisioning issues. Match each mobile network term on the left with its corresponding technical function or component on the right.
- IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)A unique 15-digit hardware serial number assigned to the physical mobile phone, used by carriers to blacklist lost or stolen devices.
- IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity)A unique code stored on the SIM card that identifies the specific user account and authenticates the subscriber to the mobile network.
- PRL (Preferred Roaming List)A configuration table on CDMA/cellular devices containing radio frequency bands and priority cell tower information used during roaming.
- Baseband FirmwareSubsystem code operating on a dedicated chip that controls low-level cellular modem communications, frequency tuning, and tower handoffs.
Answer
IMEI matches the physical 15-digit hardware identifier; IMSI matches the SIM card subscriber profile identifier; PRL matches the preferred roaming tower lookup table; Baseband Firmware matches the low-level cellular radio modem code.
The IMEI is a permanent 15-digit serial number belonging to the hardware handset. The IMSI is provisioned on the SIM card to authenticate the user to the carrier. The PRL tells the phone which cell towers to connect to when out of range of its home network. Baseband firmware manages the radio frequency processing chip independently of the main mobile operating system.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Mobile cellular network identifiers, SIM authentication, roaming tower configuration lists, and radio baseband firmware.