Access Point Name is a computer protocol that typically allows a user's computer to access the Internet using the mobile phone network.

On a technical level it is a configurable network identifier used by a mobile device when connecting to a GSM carrier. The carrier will then examine this identifier to determine what type of network connection should be created, for example: what IP address

IP address

An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing...

es should be assigned to the wireless device, what security methods should be used, and how or if, it should be connected to some private customer network.

More specifically, the Access Point Name (APN) identifies an IP Packet Data Network (PDN), that a mobile data user wants to communicate with. In addition to identifying a PDN, an APN may also be used to define the type of service, (e.g. connection to wireless application protocol

Wireless Application Protocol

Wireless Application Protocol is a technical standard for accessing information over a mobile wireless network.A WAP browser is a web browser for mobile devices such as mobile phones that uses the protocol.Before the introduction of WAP, mobile service providers had limited opportunities to offer...

 (WAP) server, multimedia messaging service

Multimedia Messaging Service

Multimedia Messaging Service, or MMS, is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones. It extends the core SMS capability that allowed exchange of text messages only up to 160 characters in length.The most popular use is to send photographs from...

 (MMS)), that is provided by the PDN. APN is used in 3GPP

3GPP

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project is a collaboration between groups of telecommunications associations, known as the Organizational Partners...

 data access networks, e.g. general packet radio service

General Packet Radio Service

General packet radio service is a packet oriented mobile data service on the 2G and 3G cellular communication system's global system for mobile communications . GPRS was originally standardized by European Telecommunications Standards Institute in response to the earlier CDPD and i-mode...

 (GPRS), evolved packet core

System Architecture Evolution

System Architecture Evolution is the core network architecture of 3GPP's LTE wireless communication standard.SAE is the evolution of the GPRS Core Network, with some differences:* simplified architecture* all-IP Network...

 (EPC).

Structure of an APN

An APN consists of two parts as shown in the accompanying figure.

• Network Identifier: Defines the external network to which the Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) is connected. Optionally, it may also include the service requested by the user. This part of the APN is mandatory
• Operator Identifier: Defines the specific operator’s packet domain network in which the GGSN is located. This part of the APN is optional. The MCC is the Mobile Country Code and the MNC is the Mobile Network Code
  Mobile Network Code
  A Mobile Network Code is used in combination with a Mobile Country Code to uniquely identify a mobile phone operator/carrier using the GSM/LTE, CDMA, iDEN, TETRA and UMTS public land mobile networks and some satellite mobile networks...
  
  which together uniquely identify a mobile network operator.

Examples of APN are:

Example: internet.mnc012.mcc345.gprs

Example: internet (NOTE: This APN example does not contain an operator)

Example: prepaid internet (NOTE: This APN example does not contain an operator and contains a space)

External links

• Service Provider Database and the associated Access Library
• Apple Support