Adding a Personality
The last step in the production turns a generic phone into one customized to the exacting specifications of mobile-phone users around the world. Each handset is put into a cradle, where it is given a unique serial number, known as its IMEI code.
Then, depending on who the customer is, a unique batch of software code is pumped into the phone. Vodafone will specify one set of menus and features, as well as a Vodafone logo on the opening screen, while Cingular will require a different appearance and capabilities.
Finally, the phone and installed software undergo a battery of diagnostic tests. From this point forward, the IMEI code links each individual phone to its intended customer.
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