We think 5G identifiers are just a “rebrand” of 4G.
That’s NOT true. Here’s why 
..
4G relied on IMSI, IMEI, APN, etc.
Each had a clear role:
subscriber, equipment, cell, phone number.
5G keeps the same pattern — but twists it.
IMSI becomes SUPI.
IMEI becomes PEI.
APN morphs into DNN.
Simple?
Not quite.
Because one key difference runs through them all:
encryption, abstraction, and slicing.
The very fabric of identity shifts from static to dynamic.
Temporary IDs like GUTI evolve into 5G-GUTI.
Permanent IDs like IMSI get shielded as SUCI.
Even “your phone number” is no longer what it seems.
MSISDN turns into GPSI, which might not even be a number.
And here’s the part that surprises most people:
4G had no concept of slicing in its identifiers.
5G bakes it right in with S-NSSAI.
It’s not just renaming.
5G is redefining what it means to be identified in a network.
So the question is:
does this shift make 5G more secure…
or just more complex?
Thanks for reading.
PDF:
Difference between 5G and 4G identifiers (By Furqan Jameel).pdf (1.6 MB)
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