THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN A IMSI and a TSMI Each mobile user is allocated a globally uniqueidentifier that is permanently stored

both in theHLRof the user and in theSIMof the user terminal. This International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) number is composed of the Mobile Country Code(MCC, three digits), the Mobile Network Code (MNC,two digits) of the homeGSM network - there can beseveral competing GSM networks within a country and the Mobile Subscriber Identification Number(MSIN, ten digits). The designation "globally unique"simply means that every GSM subscriber in the worldcan be unambiguously identified by means of his/herIMSI number. When an HLR and a VLR communicate with eachother, they make use of the IMSI in order to identifythe SIM card which is involved in the transaction.However, for security reasons, the signallingsequences between the MSC/VLR and the MS arepermitted to employ the IMSI for user identificationonly as long as the signal sequences over the airinterface areencrypted. Under some circumstances,such as during paging of anMS, some kind of useridentification must be used before the encryptionprocess is started. For this purpose, the MS isassigned a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity(TMSI) number by the VLR duringlocationregistration. In order to increase the security of thesystem even further, the TMSI can be reallocated atcertain intervals determined by the network operator.
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Composition of IMSI
IMSI is compose of three parts, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1. IMSI structure

Mobile Country Code (MCC) consisting of three digits. The MSS identifies uniquely the country of domicile of mobile subscriber. Mobile Network Code (MNC) consisting of two or three digits for GSM/UMTS applications. That's why, if you are close to your country border UE is still using eNodeBs that belongs/are controled by Mobile Operator from your country. In other words .. the MNC identifies the home PLMN of the mobile subscriber. The length of the MNC (two or three digits) depends on the value of the MCC. A mixture of two and three digit MNC codes within a single MCC area is not recommended according to 3GPP specification. Mobile Subscriber Identification Number (MSIN) identifying the mobile subscriber within a PLMN. In Fig. 1. there is also shown NMSI entity. The National Mobile Subscriber Identity (NMSI) consists of the MNC and the NMSI. The 3GPP spec is also saying, that allocation of IMSIs should be such that not mode than MCC +MNC number of digits have to be analysed in a foregin PLMN for information transfer. Just to make roaming a little bit more easier.

Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI)

Since the Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) has only local significance (in VLR/SGSN/MME and area controlled by VLR/SGSN/MME), the structure and coding of it can be chosen by agreement between operator and ME manufacturer in order to meet local needs. The TMSI is used instead of IMSI to protect subscriber from being identified and also make life more difficult to radio interface eavesdroppers. The TMSI consists of 4 octets. It can be coded using a hexadecimal representation. The network shall not allocate a TMSI with all 32 bits equal to 1, because TMSI must be stored in the SIM, and SIM uses 4 octets with all bits equal to 1 to indicate that no valid TMSI is available.

In order to avoid problems such as double allocation of TMSIs after a restart of an allocationg node, some part of the TMSI may be related to the time when it was allocated or TMSI can contain a bit field which is changed when the allocating node has recovered from the restart. In other words TMSI is being hold by VLR and is not passed to HLR. The TMSI is used mostly in Paging situations. Where Paging is used by network to request the establishment of NAS signaling connection to UE. The NAS signaling connection after being established can also be used in process of sending signaling messages to UE. Paging procedure can also be used to prompt UE to reattach itself to the network if needed.