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Difficulty: EasyMobile Device Hardware and Display Issues

An IT support technician replaces a damaged system board on a company smartphone. Although the repair is successful and the device boots up, it cannot connect to the cellular network. The cellular carrier requires the technician to provide the unique physical hardware identification number assigned to the new motherboard to re-provision the device. Which of the following identifiers should the technician provide to the carrier?

  1. A
    International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
  2. International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)Answer
  3. C
    System SO-DIMM module MAC address
  4. D
    OLED panel inverter board ID

Answer

The technician should provide the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
The correct answer is the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) because it is a unique 15-digit serial number assigned to the mobile device hardware itself. When a motherboard is swapped, the device receives a new IMEI that must be registered with the cellular provider to authorize network access.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the type of hardware identifier required by the cellular carrier.
The carrier requires the hardware identifier tied directly to the physical mobile device and motherboard, not the user's SIM card.
When a motherboard is replaced, the embedded physical radio hardware serial number changes.
2
Distinguish between physical hardware identification numbers and subscriber identification numbers.
The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) uniquely identifies the physical phone hardware, while the IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) identifies the subscriber account on the SIM card.
Cellular networks track physical equipment using the IMEI.

Key Concept

IMEI vs IMSI cellular identification in mobile device hardware provisioning
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Mobile Device Hardware and Display Issues

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