Abstract: A method of communicating a variable length mobile network code (MNC) from a mobile communications network to a mobile station is provided. The method comprises transmitting a message comprising at least one of a first field and a second field, wherein the first field indicates whether the MNC is greater than a fixed length (2 digits). The first field further indicates whether the second field is included in the message.

Abstract: A method for identifying a mobile communications device in a mobile communications network is provided. The method comprises determining an identifier for a mobile communications device, the identifier comprising at least one of a first field, a second field, and a third field; including in the first field a mobile country code (MCC) for identifying a country to which the mobile communications device belongs; including in the second field a mobile network code (MNC) for identifying a network to which the mobile communications device belongs in the country; including in the third field a mobile station identification number (MSIN) for identifying the mobile communications device in the network; and including padding values in the third field, when the length of the MSIN is less than the length of the third field.