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🏠 eUICC.tech > SGP.29 EID > EID Assignment: How Manufacturers Get Their Allocations
💡 Why this matters: Behind every eSIM chip’s EID is a formal assignment process that verifies the legitimacy of the requesting entity, prevents fraud, and ensures global uniqueness. Without this governance, bad actors could obtain EID ranges and manufacture counterfeit eUICCs: undermining the entire RSP trust model. Understanding the ERHI1 assignment flow reveals the administrative machinery that keeps the eSIM numbering system secure.
Key takeaways:
- ERHI1 assignment is a 5-stage process: Form Filling → Submission → Verification (≤5 days) → Assignment → Confirmation
- Applicants must be EUMs, Device Manufacturers, or Groups of Device Manufacturers: single corporate entities under specific legislative regulation
- The GSMA DAG (EIN Assignment Services) handles all ERHI1 applications via EISRegistration@gsma.com
- Eligibility criteria include: must not already hold an ERHI1 (with limited justified exceptions) and must commit to use within 12 months
- A parallel cancellation process exists for ERHI1s that are no longer needed, with identical verification rigour
- Subsequent Level EAAs (Level ≥2) have their own responsibilities under SGP.29, including complying with all EID requirements and reporting to their parent EAA
The ERHI1 assignment process is the gatekeeper of the eSIM numbering system. Every EID in existence traces back to an ERHI1 issued by the GSMA: making this process the foundation of eUICC identity governance.
SGP.29 v1.1 defines four categories of eligible applicants for ERHI1:
The most direct path. EUMs who manufacture eUICC chips apply directly to the GSMA for an ERHI1. They then assign ESINs to individual chips under their assigned EIN.
Added in SGP.29 v1.1 (March 2024, CR11000R06). Device manufacturers: companies that embed eUICCs into consumer devices (phones, tablets, wearables) or IoT equipment: can now obtain ERHI1 values directly. This allows them to manage EID allocation for the eUICCs they integrate without going through an intermediate authority.
National Regulatory Authorities may apply for ERHI1 values, which they can then sub-delegate to entities within their jurisdiction. This preserves the ability of national administrations to maintain oversight of numbering resources within their territories.
Also added in v1.1 (CR11001R02). A collection of Device Manufacturers represented by a single entity can apply as a group, receiving an ERHI1 that they then sub-delegate to individual member companies.
All applicants must satisfy three mandatory criteria:
The applicant downloads and completes the Registration Form from gsma.com. The form captures:
The completed and signed Registration Form is sent to EISRegistration@gsma.com.
The GSMA verifies two things:
The entire verification process is estimated to take no more than 5 working days after receipt of the correctly completed form.
Upon successful verification, the GSMA assigns a unique ERHI1 value to the applicant. The GSMA registers this assignment in its central registry and updates the status of the ERHI1 to “assigned.”
The GSMA notifies the applicant of the assigned ERHI1 by returning the completed and approved registration form. From this point, the ERHI1 is active and the holder may begin assigning sub-ranges or manufacturing eUICCs with EIDs under their EIN.
An ERHI1 that is no longer used may be voluntarily cancelled. The process mirrors the assignment flow:
| Stage | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Form Filling | Applicant completes the Cancellation Form from gsma.com |
| 2. Submission | Form submitted to EISRegistration@gsma.com with the ERHI1 to be cancelled |
| 3. Verification | GSMA verifies authenticity and validity (≤5 working days) |
| 4. Cancellation | GSMA cancels the ERHI1: it is marked as cancelled in the registry |
| 5. Confirmation | GSMA notifies applicant that the ERHI1 has been cancelled |
Important: Once cancelled, an ERHI1 is never reassigned to any other entity. And the former holder SHALL NOT use any EIDs under that ERHI1 after the cancellation date specified in the Cancellation Form.
The GSMA’s ongoing responsibilities extend beyond the assignment itself:
| Responsibility | Description |
|---|---|
| Register / Cancel ERHI1s | Process all assignment and cancellation requests |
| Maintain Registry | Keep a current list of all assigned ERHI1s and their status |
| Ensure Integrity | Yearly review and report to the GSMA group responsible for SGP.29 on actual assignments and usage by Subsequent Level EAAs |
| Provide Expertise | Offer advice on EID issues to stakeholders |
| Prevent Reassignment | Ensure cancelled ERHI1s are never assigned to another entity |
Any Level X EIN Assignment Authority (where X ≥ 2) : e.g., a National Authority that received an ERHI1 and is assigning ERHI2 values: has its own set of responsibilities:
Based on GSMA SGP.29 v1.1 (22 March 2024) : EID Definition and Assignment Process, Sections 11–15
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