# What is an eSIM? Profile and eUICC

An eSIM is a profile on an eUICC, the secure element that stores operator profiles. The chip identifies itself with a 32-digit EID; each profile carries its own ICCID. Consumer devices follow SGP.22, unattended fleets follow SGP.32, and neither changes the IMSI, the number or the market's registration rules.

- An eSIM is a profile on an eUICC; the chip is not the subscription.

- Consumer devices use SGP.22; unattended IoT fleets use SGP.32. SGP.02 is the earlier M2M generation.

- The EID identifies the eUICC and stays fixed; each profile carries its own ICCID.

- An eSIM changes how a profile arrives, not the IMSI, the MSISDN or the market's registration rules.

## An eSIM is a profile, not a chip

An eSIM is the operator profile stored on an eUICC, the secure element soldered into the device or supplied in a removable package. The chip is hardware. The profile is subscription data: credentials, IMSI and network parameters. One eUICC can hold several profiles. A device enables the profile it uses, and SGP.22 v3.0 adds multiple enabled profiles for devices that support them.
The chip carries a 32-digit EID that identifies the hardware. Each profile carries an ICCID that identifies the subscription container. Download a new profile and the EID stays the same while the ICCID changes. An inventory that records only ICCIDs cannot say which chip a profile sits on, so record both.

### Device, eUICC, profile, subscription

The device holds the chip, the chip holds profiles, and each profile points to one subscription.

Alt: Four stacked layers labeled device, eUICC, profile and subscription.

The stack runs from the device at the top to the subscription at the bottom. The eUICC is the secure element, the profile is the operator data installed on it, and the subscription is what the network authenticates. Changing the profile changes the middle layer, not the device or the chip.

| Item | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First state · 1 | Device |  |
| First state · 2 | eUICC |  |
| First state · 3 | Profile |  |
| First state · 4 | Subscription |  |

Source: GSMA SGP.22 v3.0 (19 October 2022) (https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/esim/gsma_resources/sgp-22-v3-0/)

## The specification follows who is present

The specification follows the activation, not the shape of the hardware. Consumer devices use SGP.22. A person scans a QR code or opens an app, the local profile assistant downloads the profile, and the person confirms it. Unattended fleets use SGP.32. An eSIM IoT manager in the backend selects the profile, and an IoT profile assistant on the device executes the download with no screen and no one on site.
A soldered eUICC can run a consumer flow if the device has a screen and a user. A removable eUICC can run an IoT flow if the module and the management platform support SGP.32. Older M2M estates may still run SGP.02, and that hardware cannot become SGP.32 over the air.

### Which product uses which flow

| Product | Specification | Who starts activation | What stays fixed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Phone or tablet | SGP.22 | The user, with a QR code or an app | The EID; the profile can be replaced |
| Laptop or travel eSIM | SGP.22 | The user, in the device settings | The EID; the profile can be replaced |
| Tracker or meter fleet | SGP.32 | The eSIM IoT manager in the backend | The eUICC and its EID |
| Installed M2M estate | SGP.02 | The operator's M2M platform | The hardware generation |

SGP.02 hardware does not upgrade to SGP.32 over the air. Migration follows the hardware cycle.

## How a profile reaches the chip

In the consumer flow, a profile provider prepares the profile on an SM-DP+ and gives the user an activation code, usually as a QR code. The device's local profile assistant connects to the SM-DP+, downloads the profile, installs it on the eUICC and enables it after the user confirms. A discovery server can also tell the device that a profile is waiting. The exchange runs over an IP connection, usually Wi-Fi or the device's existing mobile data.
In the IoT flow, the eSIM IoT manager triggers the download and the IoT profile assistant executes it. The device needs a bootstrap connection first: a bootstrap profile, a local network or another temporary path. Without that connection the profile cannot arrive, and the device stays offline. Plan the bootstrap before the device is sealed in the field, and test the download on the real hardware.

### Two activation flows

SGP.22 puts a person at the device; SGP.32 puts a manager in the backend.

Alt: Two four-step tracks: the consumer order, scan, download and enable; the IoT order, manager selection, download and no person at the device.

The consumer track runs order, QR scan, profile download and enable, with the user confirming at the device. The IoT track runs order, eIM selection, profile download and completion with no person at the device. Both end with an enabled profile. The difference is who starts the download and who can troubleshoot it.

| Item | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SGP.22 (consumer) · 1 | Order |  |
| SGP.22 (consumer) · 2 | Scan the QR code |  |
| SGP.22 (consumer) · 3 | Profile downloads |  |
| SGP.22 (consumer) · 4 | Enable on the device |  |
| SGP.32 (IoT) · 1 | Order |  |
| SGP.32 (IoT) · 2 | eIM selects a profile |  |
| SGP.32 (IoT) · 3 | Profile downloads |  |
| SGP.32 (IoT) · 4 | No person at the device |  |

Source: GSMA SGP.32 v1.2 (27 June 2024) (https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/esim/gsma_resources/sgp-32-v1-2/)

### “An eSIM is not a SIM card”

An eSIM is a chip that replaces the plastic card.
An eSIM is a profile. The eUICC is the chip, and it may be soldered or removable. The profile carries the subscription, and the EID identifies the chip.
A phone with no enabled profile still has an eUICC. It has no working subscription until a profile is downloaded and enabled.

## What an eSIM does not change

An eSIM does not change the IMSI, the MSISDN or the market's rules. The IMSI still identifies the subscription, the MSISDN is still the diallable number, and the destination market still decides whether the device and the subscription may be used there. An eSIM does not create coverage, bypass roaming rules or make a foreign subscription local. It changes how the profile arrives, not what the profile may do.
It also does not encrypt user traffic. The profile is protected in transit and at rest by the remote-provisioning architecture. The data the device sends is protected by the application and the network, not by the SIM form. If the traffic needs encryption, run it end to end.

## Physical, embedded and soldered

Three forms matter in practice. The removable plastic SIM is the familiar card and still common in devices with a slot. The eUICC can also be supplied in a removable form factor, which keeps a service visit possible. The soldered eUICC is fixed to the board and cannot be lost or swapped, which suits devices that must survive vibration, heat or tampering. The form decides the logistics: a removable card can ship separately, while a soldered eUICC must be provisioned after assembly, with the profile plan ready before the device leaves the line.

### What to check before you buy

- [ ] The module supports the specification you need, not just the word eSIM.
- [ ] The eUICC form: soldered, removable, or a module with a profile slot.
- [ ] How the first profile arrives, and what happens if that download fails.
- [ ] Who owns each profile, and what happens at the end of the contract.
- [ ] Whether a profile can move to another device, and whether the operator allows it.
- [ ] How the EID and ICCID are recorded in the inventory.

Ask for a test on the real hardware, including a failed download and a retry.

The value stays in the browser. The example is documentation data, not a subscriber's EID.

[Open the tool](/en/tools/identifier-toolkit/?src=learn-what-is-esim&scenario=decode-eid&sample=89049032000000000000000000000066)

### Check what you learned

**A customer swaps the SIM and the device is still blocked. Which identifier did not change?**

The IMEI. It identifies the device, while the ICCID and the IMSI belong to the subscription and can change with the SIM.

**Who confirms the download under SGP.22, and who starts it under SGP.32?**

Under SGP.22 the user confirms on the device. Under SGP.32 the eSIM IoT manager starts the download and the device executes it with no person present.

**Does an eSIM make a foreign subscription local?**

No. It changes how the profile arrives. Registration, admission and roaming rules still apply to the subscription and the device.

## FAQ

**Is an eSIM more secure than a plastic SIM?**

It removes the physical swap step. The subscription security model underneath is the same, and the profile is still protected by the remote-provisioning architecture.

**Can I move an eSIM to a new phone?**

It depends on the device and the operator. Some consumer ecosystems support a transfer flow; others require a new download. Ask before you rely on it.

**Does an eSIM need a connection to install?**

Yes. The profile downloads over an IP connection, usually Wi-Fi, an existing mobile connection or a bootstrap profile.

**Is an eSIM the same as a virtual number?**

No. A virtual number is a numbering service. An eSIM is a way to hold an operator profile on an eUICC.

**Can I keep my number with an eSIM?**

Portability rules apply to the number, not the SIM form. Moving to an eSIM does not by itself change your number.

## Sources

- [GSMA SGP.22 v3.0: Remote SIM Provisioning for consumer devices](https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/esim/gsma_resources/sgp-22-v3-0/) — Accessed: 2026-10-19
- [GSMA SGP.32 v1.2: eSIM IoT remote provisioning and management](https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/esim/gsma_resources/sgp-32-v1-2/) — Accessed: 2026-10-19
- [ITU-T E.118 (09/2025): the ICCID identifies a UICC or a profile in an eUICC](https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-t/rec/e/T-REC-E.118-202509-I!!SUM-HTM-E.htm) — Accessed: 2026-10-19
- [3GPP TS 31.102: characteristics of the USIM application](https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/archive/31_series/31.102/) — Accessed: 2026-10-19

Updated: 2026-10-19