Reference for anyone installing an eSIM manually, on any operator, anywhere.

SM-DP+ address and activation code, explained

Three fields, one string, and one of them you almost never fill in. What each part means, and why the whole thing should be treated as a credential.

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SM-DP+ address is the server holding your profile, entered as a bare hostname
Activation code identifies your specific profile and is single use and case sensitive
Confirmation code is optional in the standard and is left empty on our profiles
LPA:1$address$code is the whole payload, and it is what the QR image encodes
iPhone splits the string across two fields, Android usually takes it whole
Treat the string like a key: whoever holds it can install the profile once

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Manual eSIM setup asks for terms nobody explains: an SM-DP+ address, an activation code, and sometimes a confirmation code. They look like jargon invented to make a simple thing hard. They are not, and once you know what each one does, the error messages start making sense too.

All three come from one line of text, which is also exactly what is printed inside your QR code. It looks like this: LPA:1$smdp.example.com$K2-9F4C-A81D. Everything a phone needs to fetch your eSIM is in there, which is why scanning and typing produce the same result.

SM-DP+ address: where your profile is stored

SM-DP+ stands for Subscription Manager Data Preparation, and it is the server your operator uses to prepare and hand out eSIM profiles. The address is an ordinary hostname such as smdp.example.com. It is not secret, it is shared by every customer of that operator, and it is the first field iPhone asks for.

When you enter it, do not add the LPA:1$ prefix, do not append the code, and do not put https:// in front. The phone is not opening a web page; it is starting a device-to-server conversation defined by the eSIM standard. A wrong address produces a connection error rather than a rejected code, which is a useful way to tell the two failures apart.

Activation code: which profile is yours

The activation code, called a matching ID in the specification, is the part that identifies your specific profile on that server. It is unique, single use, and it is the reason a QR code should be treated as sensitive rather than as a receipt. Nothing else in the string is personal to you; this is.

It is case sensitive and often long, so paste it rather than retyping it. Once a profile has been downloaded, the code is spent. That matters most on a UK number, where the profile installs one time, is never reissued and is not refunded. Travel data eSIMs can be issued a fresh QR if a genuine problem occurs, but the principle is the same: one code, one install.

Confirmation code: the field you leave empty

The eSIM standard allows an operator to attach an extra confirmation code, which the phone then demands before it will download the profile. It exists for operators who want a second factor at install time, typically ones distributing profiles through retail channels. It is optional, and ours do not use one.

So when iPhone or Android asks for a confirmation code, leave the field empty and continue. This single blank box stalls more manual installs than any other step, because an empty field reads as an unfinished form. If a provider does set one, they must give it to you separately; a confirmation code is never hidden inside the QR string.

Reading the whole string, and keeping it safe

Split LPA:1$smdp.example.com$K2-9F4C-A81D at the dollar signs and you get the three pieces: LPA:1 says this is an activation line in version 1 format, the middle is the SM-DP+ address, and the last is the activation code. Some strings carry a fourth field for the confirmation code, and some end in a trailing flag. Android usually wants the whole line in one field, while iPhone wants the middle and last parts separately.

Treat the complete string the way you would treat a key. Anyone who has it can download your profile before you do, and for a single-install line that means the line is gone with nothing to recover. Do not post it in a forum, do not send it in a group chat, and be careful with screenshots: a screenshot of the QR image is exactly as sensitive as the text, because they are the same thing.

Read your own activation string

1
Find the string
Your order page shows it in full, alongside the QR image. Any QR reader pointed at an eSIM code will show you the same text.
2
Check the prefix
A valid line starts with LPA:1$. If what you have does not, you are probably looking at a shortened link or a support reference rather than an activation string.
3
Split at the dollar signs
The part between the first and second dollar sign is the SM-DP+ address. Everything after the second is the activation code.
4
Match the fields to your phone
iPhone wants the address and the code in separate boxes. Android usually wants the entire line, prefix included, in one box.
5
Leave any confirmation code empty
Unless your provider gave you one separately, there is nothing to enter. Ours do not use one.

Questions & answers

What is an SM-DP+ address?

It is the address of the server that prepares and delivers eSIM profiles for an operator, written as an ordinary hostname such as smdp.example.com. SM-DP+ stands for Subscription Manager Data Preparation. It is not secret and it is the same for every customer of that operator. Enter it without the LPA:1$ prefix and without https:// in front.

What is an eSIM activation code?

It is the unique, single-use identifier that tells the SM-DP+ server which profile belongs to you, called a matching ID in the specification. It is the sensitive part of the string, it is case sensitive, and it is spent once a profile has been downloaded. Copy and paste it rather than typing it.

What is a confirmation code, and where do I get one?

It is an optional extra check that an operator can attach to a profile, requested by the phone before it downloads. If a provider uses one, they give it to you separately, never hidden in the QR string. Ours do not use one, so leave the field empty and continue.

What does LPA:1$ mean at the start of the string?

LPA stands for Local Profile Assistant, the part of your phone that handles eSIM downloads, and the 1 is the format version. The prefix simply tells the phone that what follows is an activation line rather than a web address. Android usually wants it included, while iPhone splits the parts after it into separate fields.

Is my activation code the same as my ICCID?

No. The ICCID identifies the SIM profile itself once it exists and is used for support and account lookups. The activation code is the one-time ticket used to download that profile in the first place. Sharing an ICCID with support is normal; sharing an unused activation code is not.

Can someone steal my eSIM with the activation string?

Yes, if it has not been used yet. Anyone holding the full string can download the profile to their own device, and because our UK number profiles install a single time and are never reissued, that would leave you with nothing to install. Keep it out of forums, group chats and shared screenshots, and remember that a photo of the QR is the same secret in another form.

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