Authentication of a 3g cellular device over 4g mobile network

Abstract

A customer premises node device can receive an authentication message from a fixed cellular communication device that operates according to a third-generation mobile network access standard (e.g., a 3G alarm panel). The customer premises node device can facilitate transmitting the authentication message, to a network node that operates according to a fourth-generation mobile network access standard. The authentication message can then be routed via mobile network components, including a network gateway device, to a home location registry device, which can authenticate the 3G fixed cellular communication device for communications on a 4G mobile network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a first network access transceiver of a customer premises intermediate node device comprising a processor, an authentication message in a first format from a fixed cellular communication device operating according to first cellular protocol, wherein the first cellular protocol is a decommissioned cellular protocol in a defined geographic region;   converting, by the customer premises intermediate node device, the authentication message in the first format into a converted authentication message in a second format according to second cellular protocol, wherein the converting comprises adding a data element to the converted authentication message that classifies the converted authentication message as originating from the fixed cellular communication device that operates according to the first cellular protocol and does not operate according to the second cellular protocol, and wherein the second cellular protocol is not decommissioned in the defined geographic region; and   transmitting, by a second network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, the converted authentication message to network equipment that operates according to the second cellular protocol, wherein, as a result of the transmitting, the network equipment is enabled to:
 identify, based on the data element, the converted authentication message as originating from the fixed cellular communication device that operates according to the first cellular protocol, and 
 facilitate routing of the converted authentication message to a home location registry device for authentication of the fixed cellular communication device to communicate via the second network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed cellular communication device comprises an alarm panel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication message comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the fixed cellular communication device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the data element comprises using an access point name that facilitates communication tunneling of the converted authentication message to the home location registry device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network access transceiver operates as a femtocell. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the converting further comprises, in response to determining that the authentication message is associated with an alarm condition, adding a priority indicator to the converted authentication message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the first network access transceiver, an instruction that facilitates a reduction in power of a signal that was transmitted by the fixed cellular communication device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the first network access transceiver, an instruction that facilitates selection by the fixed cellular communication device of a transmission frequency that reduces a probability of interference from other transmissions that have been originated by other communication devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using, by the customer premises intermediate node device, a stored international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the fixed cellular communication device to determine whether to allow a connection of the fixed cellular communication device to the customer premises intermediate node device. 
     
     
         10 . A customer premises intermediate node device, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving, by a first network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, an authentication message in a first format from a fixed cellular device operating according to first cellular standard, wherein the first cellular standard is a phased out cellular standard in a defined geographic area; 
 converting the authentication message in the first format into a converted authentication message in a second format according to second cellular standard, wherein the converting comprises adding a data element to the converted authentication message that classifies the converted authentication message as originating from the fixed cellular device that operates according to the first cellular standard and does not operate according to the second cellular standard, and wherein the second cellular standard is not phased out in the defined geographic area; and 
 transmitting, by a second network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, the converted authentication message to network equipment that operates according to the second cellular standard, wherein, as a result of the transmitting, the network equipment is enabled to:
 identify, based on the data element, the converted authentication message as originating from the fixed cellular device that operates according to the first cellular standard, and 
 facilitate routing of the converted authentication message to a home location registry device for authentication of the fixed cellular device to communicate via the second network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein the fixed cellular device comprises an alarm panel. 
     
     
         12 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein the authentication message comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the fixed cellular device. 
     
     
         13 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein adding the data element comprises using an access point name that facilitates communication tunneling of the converted authentication message to the home location registry device. 
     
     
         14 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein the first network access transceiver operates as a femtocell. 
     
     
         15 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein the converting further comprises, in response to determining that the authentication message is associated with an alarm condition, adding a priority indicator to the converted authentication message. 
     
     
         16 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, by the first network access transceiver, an instruction that facilitates a reduction in power of a signal that was transmitted by the fixed cellular device. 
     
     
         17 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, by the first network access transceiver, an instruction that facilitates selection by the fixed cellular device of a transmission frequency that reduces a probability of interference from other transmissions that have been originated by other devices. 
     
     
         18 . The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise using a stored international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the fixed cellular device to determine whether to allow a connection of the fixed cellular device to the customer premises intermediate node device. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a customer premises intermediate node device comprising a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving, by a first network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, an authentication message in a first format from an alarm panel device operating according to first cellular standard, wherein the first cellular standard is a decommissioned cellular standard in a defined geographic area;   converting the authentication message in the first format into a converted authentication message in a second format according to second cellular standard, wherein the converting comprises adding a data element to the converted authentication message that classifies the converted authentication message as originating from the alarm panel device that operates according to the first cellular standard and does not operate according to the second cellular standard, and wherein the second cellular standard is not decommissioned in the defined geographic area; and   transmitting, by a second network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, the converted authentication message to network equipment that operates according to the second cellular standard, wherein, as a result of the transmitting, the network equipment is enabled to:
 identify, based on the data element, the converted authentication message as originating from the alarm panel device that operates according to the first cellular standard, and 
 route the converted authentication message to a home location registry device for authentication of the alarm panel device to communicate via the second network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device. 
   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the authentication message comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the alarm panel device.