How to get the operator name?

On Windows Mobile devices, how does one determine the name of the wireless
operator that the phone is subscribed to (e.g. Sprint. Verizon, etc.)? Note
that I don't mean the operator that owns the cell site that the phone is
currently connected to. I'm talking about the "home" operator; the one the
subscriber has a contract with.

I know this can be done on GSM phones using the first 6 digits of the IMSI,
but this does not work on CDMA phones.

I have also tried using
Microsoft.WindowsMobile.Status.SystemState.PhoneOperatorName in the .NET
Compact Framework, but it is unclear which carrier this refers to (home or
cell tower owner) and I have seen it return a blank string.

PhoneOperatorName returns the name from the currently connected service. If
you are roaming you'll get the operator name of the current network which
won't be the same as the "home" network to which the user is subscribed. If
you know the mapping between the IMSI digits and operator name you can
access the IMSI information through TAPI, your application will most likely
have to be code-signed for this to work (depending on the security settings
of the device).

Peter

--
Peter Foot
Microsoft Device Application Development MVP
peterfoot.net | appamundi.com | inthehand.com
APPA Mundi Ltd - software solutions for a mobile world
In The Hand Ltd - .NET Components for Mobility

"Mike Bresnahan" <MikeBresnahan DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8004386A-27A2-49A6-9535-45D988E500A8@microsoft.com...
> On Windows Mobile devices, how does one determine the name of the wireless
> operator that the phone is subscribed to (e.g. Sprint. Verizon, etc.)?
> Note
> that I don't mean the operator that owns the cell site that the phone is
> currently connected to. I'm talking about the "home" operator; the one the
> subscriber has a contract with.
>
> I know this can be done on GSM phones using the first 6 digits of the
> IMSI,
> but this does not work on CDMA phones.
>
> I have also tried using
> Microsoft.WindowsMobile.Status.SystemState.PhoneOperatorName in the .NET
> Compact Framework, but it is unclear which carrier this refers to (home or
> cell tower owner) and I have seen it return a blank string.